Columbia’s Planned Parenthood obtains license to perform abortion services

Planned Parenthood announced Tuesday that its offices have opened their schedules for medication and surgical abortion services at the Columbia Health Center.

Planned Parenthood received its license and can begin to schedule patients immediately.

On the same day of the major announcement, Planned Parenthood Great Plains and its sister affiliate filed a joint lawsuit challenging a provision in Senate Bill 5.

The law makes the abortion provider also provide pre-abortion counseling at least 72 hours before the procedure. Pro-choice protesters say this is just a way to limit access to women wanting an abortion.

“These denials and delays imposed by the act will result from the diminished number of physicians available to perform abortions due to inability to devote more hours to abortion care/ conform their schedules with the strict requirements,” the lawsuit states.

Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Bonyen Lee-Gilmore told ABC 17 News: “These laws are designed to create road blocks and to make abortions inaccessible in the state of Missouri. They have nothing to do with the help and safety of women.”

Senate Bill 5 was recently passed during a special state legislative session.

Employees of Planned Parenthood said the clinic already provides patients with full information from a physician, nurse or other qualified professional, and also gives the information in writing.

Employees said the new law could result in extreme delays of up to three to four weeks for women seeking to access abortion services.

The lawsuit, filed in Jackson County Circuit Court, asks for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block the law from going into effect on Oct. 24.