Missouri Supreme Court puts pause on abortion in the Show-Me State

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Missourians voted yes to Amendment 3 in November to allow abortions again in the state.

But on Tuesday, the Missouri Supreme Court effectively put a de facto abortion ban into effect, according to Planned Parenthood.

Abortions are at least temporarily banned in Missouri after the state’s high court shot down a circuit judge’s ruling allowing the procedure after it was approved by voters in November.

The ruling comes in response to a circuit judge blocking abortion restrictions.

“We voted and that vote should count. And we voted for the right to have an abortion here in the state of Missouri,” said Missouri resident Gerry Richardson. “And we hope it stays in effect for a very long time.”

Samuel Lee, head of Campaign Life Missouri, applauded the Supreme Court’s decision Tuesday. The court ordered a Jackson County judge to vacate previous rulings that blocked restrictions on abortion.

“Supreme Court has reigned in a rogue judge from Jackson County, who went way beyond their boundaries,” Lee said.

The restrictions in question included abortion facility licensing requirements, a 72-hour waiting period and parental consent laws.

“They were based on making it harder to access abortion and right now, without these injunctions in place abortion is out of reach for Missourians.” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Comprehensive Health Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

She added that Planned Parenthood will not offer abortions until those regulations are blocked.

The Supreme Court ruled the Jackson County judge must use a different standard and re-evaluate the case.

“What the court said was nothing about the substantive claims the Supreme Court brought up, what it said was use this standard and that’s what I expect the judge in Jackson County will do,” Wales said.

This comes after the Missouri Legislature voted to put an abortion ban back on the ballot next year.

Lee said he doesn’t think people knew what Amendment 3 would truly do.

“I don’t think most Missourians want unrestricted abortion without even girls parents knowing about it,” Lee said.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey called the ruling a win for women and children.

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