KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Jackson County Circuit Court judge Friday blocked parts of Missouri’s abortion ban after voters passed Amendment 3 in November.
The ruling came after several weeks of court hearings and legal filings in the case to determine the fate of the state’s near-total abortion ban that triggered into effect when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the decision in Roe v. Wade.
LINK | Read the judge's ruling
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas released a statement Friday evening in response to the Circuit Court of Jackson County’s decision.
"For millions of Missouri women and all Missouri families, today's decision affirms the recent passage of Amendment 3 and restores the right to reproductive freedom in Missouri," said Lucas. "Vital healthcare choices should be left to women, families, and their healthcare providers — not politicians. I am grateful the Court rejected draconian measures that restricted the rights of women and families in accessing necessary healthcare, recognizing the will of Missouri voters in approving Amendment 3."
Following the passage of Amendment 3 by Missouri voters, Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains led a civil lawsuit seeking legal clarity on the state’s abortion ban.
In Friday’s ruling, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Jerri Zhang ruled in favor of parts of Planned Parenthood’s suit and denied the state’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
KSHB 41's Charlie Keegan read through the judge's ruling and found the following details:
Zhang ruled that Missouri should no longer enforce:
- Total ban
- Law saying no abortions after 14 weeks
- Cannot get an abortion because of Down Syndrome diagnosed
- Requiring physicians doing abortions to have admitting privileges at hospitals within 30 minutes or 15miles from where they provide abortions
- Requiring providers have a DHSS complication plan
- Requiring providers to give women literature before abortions
- Requiring women to sign and give their informed consent without coercion
- Requiring state to perform pathology on all aborted tissue
- Telemedicine ban
Zhang ruled the state should continue to enforce:
- Abortion facility licensing law
- Require doctors, not APRNs, PAs, or other "advance practice clinicians" to perform abortions
- Require in-person doctor visit for abortion
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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