Judge weighs whether to pause Missouri’s abortion ban before Amendment 3 goes into effect

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A Missouri judge is weighing whether to overturn the state’s abortion ban following the age of Amendment Three, which protects access to abortion.

Lawyers for the state and for Planned Parenthood debated the matter in front of Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang Wednesday afternoon.

Although voters ed Amendment Three, Missouri’s abortion ban is still on the books. That’s why Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit to overturn that ban and all the other laws restricting abortion providers less than 24 hours after polls closed. Planned Parenthood is asking the court to put a pause on the abortion ban until this lawsuit can fully play out.

Planned Parenthood says that with permission from the court -- it is ready to start providing abortions this Friday. The judge did not make a decision on whether to pause the abortion ban Wednesday evening, but is expected to make one very soon.

Although election results are not official yet, Planned Parenthood argues there is no doubt the amendment ed and should go into effect at midnight Friday. This lawsuit argues that the abortion ban is unconstitutional because Amendment Three guarantees access to abortion and other forms of birth control in the state constitution.

“Every single day that Missourians cannot access their constitutional rights, they’re being denied critical care,” said Planned Parenthood Great Plains CEO Emily Wales.

But the state argues the request is too far reaching. Lawyers with the attorney general’s office say there are restrictions that should still be in place, such as a 72 hour waiting period to get an abortion and or a ban on getting an abortion based on the race of the baby.

“They’re trying to take down dozens of laws, dozens of regulations that have bipartisan , that have been ed for decades under Republican istrations, under Democrat istrations and they’re doing this just because they want to cut costs at Planned Parenthood,” said Missouri Solicitor General Josh Divine.

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