State plans to appeal ruling for Columbia Planned Parenthood

The state plans to appeal a federal ruling that gives the Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia more time to find a doctor with privileges at a nearby hospital to perform surgical abortions.

ABC 17 News confirmed Wednesday the state filed a notice of appeal regarding the preliminary injunction order.

U.S. District Judge Nanette Laughrey granted a preliminary injunction, allowing the suit to continue. That means state officials at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services can not revoke the abortion license for the Columbia facility.

PPKM President and CEO Laura McQuade said the organization was “aggressively” searching for a hospital to give “refer and follow” privileges to a doctor to do abortions there. After the MU Health revoked Dr. Colleen McNicholas’ privileges in November, only Planned Parenthood’s St. Louis facility offered abortion services.

“As soon as we have a physician in place again, we can immediately resume services, and take Missouri back to being a multi-provider state,” McQuade said.

The temporary restraining order was set to expire Wednesday, December 30, but the national agency asked for more time earlier this month.

Judge Laughrey wrote in her opinion that the Department of Health and Senior Services treated Planned Parenthood “more harshly than other similarly situated institutions,” violating the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment. The state notified PPKM that it would revoke its ASC license in September, and “solicited no plan of correction” to keep its license.

Bonnie Lee, a member of the pro-life groups Team PLAY and 40 Days for Life, said the “principle” of Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit was “bogus,” since the Department of Health and Senior Services broke no laws.

“To the fact that their being overly burdened and that they’re not being treated as other clinics, when the only reason they don’t have a license is because they don’t have a doctor that’s credentialed,” Lee said.

Lee said she hopes to see Missouri outlaw abortion, but also wants to ensure facilities are properly inspected and made safe for people using them.

Judge Laughrey said she wanted to settle the lawsuit by May 1.