Republicans continue efforts to stop abortion in Missouri as Columbia Planned Parenthood gets ready to offer procedure again
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Missouri Republicans are continuing their efforts to stop abortions in the state as the Columbia Planned Parenthood location is preparing to start the procedure again.
Planned Parenthood will begin offering abortion care at its Columbia clinic on Monday, according to a Planned Parenthood Great Plains spokesperson. The clinic is currently offering appointments.
Both the Columbia and midtown Kansas City clinics will only be offering procedural, or surgical, abortion care for now as Planned Parenthood is working through a compliance process with the state for medication abortion, the spokesperson said earlier this week.
In November, Missouri voters approved Amendment 3 and Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang blocked the state's near-total ban in December, but left some restrictions under a licensing requirement in place. Planned Parenthood then filed a lawsuit against the state over the requirements.
On Feb. 14, Zhang then blocked those restrictions and Planned Parenthood said it would offer abortions in the coming weeks. Zhang wrote that under the law, abortion facilities were treated differently than other similar health providers.
However, Republican lawmakers are pushing back and have filed joint resolutions. state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R-Jefferson County) claims the restrictions are needed.
"We, who are fighting against Amendment 3, told everyone that the health and safety regulations would not be upheld, the health and safety of women is at risk," Coleman said.
Planned Parenthood Great Plains spokesperson Emily Wales said, "they are targeted regulations of abortion providers that do not make care better for patients, they don't increase access, they are legislative attacks on care that is very safe and should be routine."
Coleman said the decision on the restrictions needs to be taken up at Missouri voting polls.
"Where do Missourians stand on these issues, and I think in large part Missourians passed Amendment 3 because they were lied to on the conditions of the laws," Coleman said.
Planned Parenthood has faced many legal battles over the years over abortion and says they are prepared for more.
Wales said, "the protection we have now under the right of reproductive freedom is stronger than any we had under Roe and we anticipate any roadblocks they put our way we can get blocked by the courts."
Abortions can be legal in the state up to "fetal viability" under the language of Amendment 3.
