Missouri taxpayers will have to cover Planned Parenthood legal fees

Missouri taxpayers will have pay more than $156,000 to cover Planned Parenthood’s legal fees after a federal appeals court upholds a judge’s previous order on Thursday.

It follows a legal battle over the Columbia’s clinic abortion license.

The 8th District U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld U.S. District Judge Nanette Laughrey’s order to have the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services pay lawyer fees and other costs Planned Parenthood Great Plains incurred.

Laughrey also blocked the state from taking the Columbia clinic’s abortion license.

The dispute over the clinic came after the department warned it would take the clinic’s license when its only physician performing abortions lost needed admitting privileges with University of Missouri Health Care in 2015.

The doctor performed a nonsurgical type abortion, induced with a pill.