Abortion clinic hearing ends a day early

ST. LOUIS (AP) - An administrative hearing to decide whether the state of Missouri can revoke the abortion license for the state's only abortion clinic has concluded.

The hearing in St. Louis before a commissioner with the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission was expected to last five days but wrapped up Thursday, a day early. A ruling isn't expected until February at the earliest.

The state health department wants to revoke the license for Planned Parenthood's St. Louis clinic, citing concerns about four instances of what the state called "failed abortions." Planned Parenthood officials say the state is trying to use the licensing process to end abortions in Missouri.

Revocation would make Missouri the first state since 1974, the year after the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, without a functioning abortion clinic.