Latest news with #MallorySchwarz
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
With Missouri abortion access in limbo, both sides eye battles in court, on the ballot
An abortion procedure room pictured on March 3 at Planned Parenthood in Columbia (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent). Both sides of the abortion debate seemed caught by surprise last week by the MIssouri Supreme Court's order that essentially reimposed the state's abortion ban. Planned Parenthood clinics were sent scrambling, cancelling abortion appointments and working with patients to ensure access in other states — a return to the way things operated before voters enshrined reproductive rights in the state constitution last year. Anti-abortion advocates, meanwhile, celebrated the return of regulations but acknowledged the win could be temporary. With no clear indication of when — or if — access to abortion will be restored, and a GOP-crafted amendment banning the procedure heading for the ballot next year, advocates on both sides are navigating the uncertainty and gearing up for the fight ahead. '…anti-abortion politicians in Jeff City have once again weaponized our political system against Missourians. What's really clear here is the confusion this will cause among patients was the whole point,' said Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri, later adding: 'Missourians proved at the ballot box that what we want is access to abortion. This is not over, and I'm confident that ultimately abortion care will continue in Missouri.' Sam Lee, a longtime anti-abortion advocate with Campaign Life Missouri, expressed relief that state regulations are back in place but cautioned that the only way to 'safeguard the lives of unborn children' is to amend the constitution next year. 'While it is good news that abortion has ended in Missouri – at least for now – it would be a mistake for the pro-life movement to rely on the state courts to keep these health and safety laws and regulations in place,' he said. Missouri Supreme Court order reinstates 'de facto abortion ban' across the state While the court last week imposed what abortion providers called a 'de facto ban,' it didn't actually weigh in on the constitutionality of state regulations. The decision was procedural, calling into question the legal standard a Jackson County judge used to justify blocking certain abortion regulations enacted over the years by state lawmakers. The injunction was vacated and the judge was ordered to re-evaluate the case using the standards the Supreme Court laid out last week. A new injunction could be issued, or access could be left in limbo while the case makes its way to a January 2026 trial. Fifty-two percent of Missouri voters in November approved Amendment 3, which said 'the right to reproductive freedom shall not be denied, interfered with, delayed or otherwise restricted unless the government demonstrates that such action is justifiable by a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.' The amendment made Missouri's abortion ban unconstitutional, at least until the point of fetal viability, which is generally considered at or around 24 weeks. Attorney General Andrew Bailey acknowledges this in his appeal to the Supreme Court, writing that among the laws which are no longer enforceable because of Amendment 3 are 'Missouri's prohibitions on abortion before viability.' But myriad other restrictions remained on the books, including wait times before abortions and constraints on where abortions could be performed. Planned Parenthood affiliates in Missouri sued in December to overturn the state's Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers, or TRAP laws. Over the course of a decade before an outright ban on abortion was put in place, those laws resulted in the number of abortions performed in Missouri falling from more than 5,000 to less than 200. Over the course of two rulings — one in December and one in February — Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang pointed to the voter-approved constitutional amendment in issuing the temporary injunction. Most notably, Zhang struck down licensing requirements for abortion clinics, arguing the regulations were 'unnecessary' and 'discriminatory' because they do not treat services provided in abortion facilities the same as other types of similarly situated health care, including miscarriage care. She left in place a requirement that all abortion providers have a medical license. Zhang's ruling opened the door for procedural abortions to resume in Planned Parenthood's Kansas City and Columbia clinics. Medication abortions, which nationally make up two-thirds of all abortions, have not been available as the clinics have been unable to get the state to approve a required complication plan. The state Supreme Court order, signed by Chief Justice Mary Russell, means even procedural abortions are now inaccessible in Missouri. 'This is not the end of the legal battle, but it is a critical victory for every pro-life Missourian,' said Brian Westbrook, executive director of Coalition Life. Abortion may be inaccessible in Missouri, but 'the good news is that this court ruling does not affect other reproductive and sexual health care provided at Planned Parenthood health centers across the state,' said Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood Great Rivers. The hope, Baum said, is that the court's order is only a 'temporary setback.' In the meantime, she said access to abortion is still available in Kansas and Illinois and that Planned Parenthood will support patients 'who need lodging, transportation and other resources to access sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Abortions to resume in Missouri after a judge temporarily blocks restrictions
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Abortions are set to resume in Missouri after a judge temporarily blocked regulations on Friday that providers said had kept them from offering the procedure. The ruling came after a Kansas City judge ruled last year that abortions were now legal in the state but kept certain regulations on the books while a lawsuit by abortion-rights advocates played out. One regulation required abortion facilities to be licensed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Planned Parenthood said most of its facilities could not comply with some of the licensing rules, including 'medically irrelevant' size requirements for hallways, rooms and doors. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Voters approved a measure adding abortion rights to the constitution in November. That amendment did not legalize abortion in the state outright but instead required judges to reconsider laws that had almost completely banned the procedure. Margot Riphagen, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said the group is working quickly to start providing the procedure again in the coming days. 'Today's decision affirms what we've already long known — the state's abortion facility licensing requirements were not about patient safety, but rather another politically motivated barrier to prevent patients seeking abortion from getting the care they need,' she said in a statement. There was no immediate response to a voice message seeking comment from a spokesperson for Missouri's attorney general, who is defending the state's abortion restrictions in court. Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri, said clinic partners are ready to start providing abortions as soon as next week. 'With this change the landscape for Missourians and the entire Midwest region will be transformed, as patients will have greater access to abortion care than they have had in years,' she said in a statement. Missouri is one of five states where voters approved ballot measures in 2024 to enshrining abortion rights in their constitutions. Nevada voters also approved an amendment but will need to pass it again in 2026 for it to take effect. Another measure banning discrimination on the basis of 'pregnancy outcomes' prevailed in New York.
The Independent
15-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Abortions to resume in Missouri after a judge temporarily blocks restrictions
Abortions are set to resume in Missouri after a judge temporarily blocked regulations on Friday that providers said had kept them from offering the procedure. The ruling came after a Kansas City judge ruled last year that abortions were now legal in the state but kept certain regulations on the books while a lawsuit by abortion-rights advocates played out. One regulation required abortion facilities to be licensed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Planned Parenthood said most of its facilities could not comply with some of the licensing rules, including 'medically irrelevant' size requirements for hallways, rooms and doors. Voters approved a measure adding abortion rights to the constitution in November. That amendment did not legalize abortion in the state outright but instead required judges to reconsider laws that had almost completely banned the procedure. Margot Riphagen, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said the group is working quickly to start providing the procedure again in the coming days. 'Today's decision affirms what we've already long known — the state's abortion facility licensing requirements were not about patient safety, but rather another politically motivated barrier to prevent patients seeking abortion from getting the care they need,' she said in a statement. There was no immediate response to a voice message seeking comment from a spokesperson for Missouri's attorney general, who is defending the state's abortion restrictions in court. Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri, said clinic partners are ready to start providing abortions as soon as next week. 'With this change the landscape for Missourians and the entire Midwest region will be transformed, as patients will have greater access to abortion care than they have had in years,' she said in a statement. Missouri is one of five states where voters approved ballot measures in 2024 to enshrining abortion rights in their constitutions. Nevada voters also approved an amendment but will need to pass it again in 2026 for it to take effect. Another measure banning discrimination on the basis of 'pregnancy outcomes' prevailed in New York.
