(Jefferson City) Thursday, a Missouri judge blocked numerous restrictions on the abortion in the state, reimposing a preliminary injunction against them, a little more than a month after the highest courtyard of the State has lifted a previous suspension.
The ordinance of judge Jerri Zhang, circuit judge of the county of Jackson, indicates that restrictions on abortion probably violates a constitutional right to abortion approved by voters last year.
Planned Parenthood added that this order allowed him to again practice procedural abortions in the Missouri.
But the Missouri general prosecutor Andrew Bailey said that his office “will quickly appeal this decision”.
This order marks the last twist of a battle that has lasted for several years during which Missouri has oscillated between the prohibition and authorization of most abortions.
When the United States Supreme Court ended a national right to abortion by canceling the judgment Roe v. Wade In 2022, she sparked the entry into force of a Missouri law prohibiting abortion “except in the case of a medical emergency”.
But activists for the right to abortion have collected signatures of petitions to have this law canceled. Last November, voters narrowly approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion until fetal viability, generally considered to be acquired after 21 weeks of pregnancy.
The Missouri thus became the only state where voters used a referendum to cancel the prohibition of abortion at all stages of pregnancy.
The Supreme Court of the State ruled in May that judge Zhang had applied an erroneous criterion during her decisions in February and December blocking the restrictions on abortion in the Missouri.
After reviewing, judge Zhang again issued preliminary injunctions against the ban on abortion. The judge has also reposed several other laws, including a waiting period of 72 hours for an abortion, many exercise permit for abortion centers and the obligation for doctors practicing abortions to have admission privileges in certain types of hospitals located less than 48 kilometers or 15 minutes from the place where abortion is practiced.
“Abortion is again legal in the Missouri because the voters demanded it and we fought for this,” said Emily Wales, President and CEO of understanding Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains. The care resumes on Monday in Kansas City. »»
The Planned Parenthood clinics of the center of Missouri and Saint-Louis “will work as quickly as possible to resume appointment for abortions,” said Margot Riphagen, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers.
The Office of the Attorney General assured that he would continue the legal fight.
“The Missouri will not remain in the crossing arms while the abortion industry seeks to remove fundamental medical guarantees,” Bailey’s office said in a statement. We will continue to defend the imperative interest of the State to protect the enlightened health, safety and consent of women. »»
Thursday’s prescription did not concern medication abortions, which remain suspended while Planned Parenthood is disputed with the state about abortion regulations.
This legal battle is only one aspect of the current debate on abortion in Missouri.
In May, the Parliament, dominated by the Republicans, approved a constitutional amendment project which would restore the ban on abortion, with exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. The measure could be subject to the vote in 2026 or even before.
