A Missouri judge last Friday blocked a licensing requirement for abortion clinics, opening the door for Planned Parenthood to provide abortions in the state immediately. Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Jerri Zhang ruled that the licensing requirement for abortion clinics was “discriminatory” and could not be enforced. Within hours, Planned Parenthood announced its intention to offer abortions at its Missouri clinics.
On Saturday morning, February 15, Planned Parenthood’s Kansas City clinic conducted the first elective abortion in the state since voters narrowly approved Amendment 3 in November. The abortion–which was also the first abortion in the Kansas City clinic since 2018–went “perfectly” according to Selina Sandoval, associate medical director at Planned Parenthood Great Plains, who called the day “incredibly meaningful”.
In response to the news that abortions would resume in the state, the Bishops of Missouri issued the following statement:
We are saddened that abortions will resume in Missouri after the recent judicial ruling that abortion clinics do not need to be licensed by the state. The legalization and deregulation of abortion will harm women, children, and families.
The Catholic Church in Missouri will strive to increase advocacy for policies that uphold the dignity of all human life, protect the vulnerable, provide support for those in need, and continue to combat the forces behind the culture of death. For those women and men who have been and will be wounded by abortion, the Church will continue to provide true hope and healing.
We will continue to educate the faithful on the inherent dignity of all, as each individual is a child of God, and endeavor to make resources available to those in need. We will also work with lawmakers to craft prudent legislation to protect the welfare and dignity of pregnant mothers and their unborn children.
Let us continue to pray and work for a greater recognition of the gift of each and every human life in our society.
Throughout the week, pro-life groups gathered in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Springfield, and Rolla to pray and protest the ruling. Missouri legislative leaders also held a press conference vowing to continue to fight against the complete deregulation of abortion clinics and removal of safety standards for women.