Judge says Missouri clinic can keep providing abortions
LBN thread: Clinic can continue to provide abortions in Missouri, judge rules
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Source: Associated Press
Judge says Missouri clinic can keep providing abortions
By JIM SALTER and DAVID A. LIEB
May 31, 2019
ST. LOUIS (AP) A judge issued an order Friday to keep Missouris only abortion clinic operating over the objections of state health officials, delivering abortion-rights advocates a courtroom victory after a string of setbacks in legislatures around the U.S.
St. Louis Circuit Judge Michael Stelzer said Planned Parenthoods St. Louis clinic can continue providing abortions despite the Missouri health departments refusal to renew its license over a variety of patient safety concerns. He said the temporary restraining order was necessary to prevent irreparable injury to Planned Parenthood.
With the abortion license set to expire at midnight Friday, Planned Parenthood pre-emptively sued this week and argued that the state was weaponizing the licensing process. Planned Parenthood said that absent court intervention, Missouri would become the first state without an abortion clinic since the U.S. Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized the procedure nationwide.
The clinics license will remain in effect until a ruling is issued on Planned Parenthoods request for a permanent injunction, Stelzers ruling says. A hearing is set for Tuesday morning.
Today is a victory for women across Missouri, but this fight is far from over, Planned Parenthood Federation of America CEO Dr. Leana Wen said in a statement. We have seen just how vulnerable access to abortion care is here and in the rest of the country.
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https://apnews.com/a1e311b477c641b681f0bf14464765f2