What to know about abortion access in Missouri
Planned Parenthood wanted to resume offering abortions in several Missouri clinics on Friday, immediately after the state's new constitutional amendment rolling back a near total ban took effect
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Planned Parenthood wanted to resume offering abortions in several Missouri clinics on Friday, immediately after a newly passed constitutional amendment rolling back the state’s near-total ban took effect, but they remain on hold as a complicated court battle drags on.
The issue is that the amendment does not specifically override any state laws. And even before the end of Roe v. Wade enabled Missouri's Republican-led legislature to approve a near-total ban, the state's numerous restrictions left it with just one abortion clinic, in St. Louis.
Missouri’s Republican attorney general says many of those old laws — like a 72-hour waiting period — should still be enforced despite the amendment; Planned Parenthood says they shouldn't.
Prosecutors are caught in the middle. They want a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of the old laws while attorneys argue about what to do.
