State, Planned Parenthood argue over abortion regulations

Federal judge Brian Wimes is now considering whether or not to block state regulations that would end abortions at the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic.clinic.

Attorneys for Planned Parenthood and the state were in Jefferson City Monday to argue their respective cases.

Planned Parenthood is asking a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order blocking state regulations ahead of the expiration Monday of its license to provide surgical abortions in Columbia.

The state argues those regulations, including one requiring the surgeon to have admitting privileges at a local hospital, are needed to safeguard women’s health.

The reproductive and women’s health services provider argues the regulations are unnecessary and that complications from abortions are rare. The regulations only hinder women’s access to the medical procedure, Planned Parenthood claims.

Attorney Melissa Cohen, from Planned Parenthood’s national office, argued Monday that it places an undue, or unwarranted, burden on women because St. Louis would be the only place in the state the restrictions could be followed.

Cohen said this increases travel distances, creates an issue for women who can’t bring their children, and presents financial roadblocks as well.

“Two-thirds of women seeking abortions are low income,” she said.

The hearing comes after state inspectors last week found dirty equipment at the clinic during a surprise visit last week.

Solicitor General Dean Sauer focused partly on what he said was a failure in the standard of care and “shocking deficiencies” at the Columbia clinic.

The dirty equipment would have to be resolved before a license could be granted, regulators said, and the clinic said the issues have been corrected.

“The state grossly distorted findings from a recent inspection, seemingly in a last-ditch attempt to distract the court from the focus of today’s hearing: the politically driven admitting privilege restriction,” said Planned Parenthood Great Plains spokesperson Emily Miller.

However, if Wimes doesn’t issue a restraining order, abortions will stop anyway because the clinic lacks a surgeon with admitting privileges.