Judge Blocks Abortion Ban
In November, Missouri voters passed a historic ballot measure, Amendment 3, aimed at protecting abortion access in the state. However, a recent court ruling has brought attention to the tension between this new amendment and Missouri’s strict abortion laws. Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Jerri Zhang issued a preliminary injunction on Friday that blocked several parts of Missouri’s near-total abortion ban. His ruling, while striking down some state restrictions, notably preserved others, signaling the ongoing legal battle over abortion rights in the state.
Judge Zhang’s decision highlighted the conflict between the Missouri statute and Amendment 3. He argued that the state’s existing abortion ban was “directly at odds” with the language of the amendment, which voters approved last month, and thus could not stand as it was. Zhang emphasized that laws violating constitutional rights can cause irreparable harm, which is why certain state-imposed restrictions, including mandatory waiting periods and criminal penalties, were temporarily blocked.
Despite this, the judge did uphold some key provisions, particularly those that align with the state’s authority to regulate abortion facilities. Under his ruling, abortion clinics must continue to be licensed by the state of Missouri. Additionally, patients seeking medication abortions must have an in-person consultation with a physician, and only licensed doctors can perform abortion procedures. These provisions reflect the state’s interest in maintaining certain safeguards around abortion procedures.
Missouri was one of the first states to implement a near-total abortion ban after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. While Amendment 3 may have shifted the landscape of abortion policy in the state, it does not repeal the current laws. Instead, it opens the door for legal challenges aimed at aligning those laws with the new ballot measure. As this case continues to unfold, Missouri’s battle over abortion rights is far from over, and further court rulings will determine the future of the state’s abortion laws.
“Government Shutdown Avoided, Does Biden Deserve Credit?”
??? the poll question kind of makes the “avoidance” of a gov’t shutdown sound like a good thing??!!
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