Missouri Judge Temporarily Blocks Licensing Requirement for Abortion Clinics

The ruling paves the way for abortions to resume in the state after restrictions were deemed discriminatory and medically unnecessary.

Judge Jerri Zhang ruled that Missouri's abortion clinic licensing requirement was discriminatory and unnecessary, temporarily blocking the regulation.
The decision follows a November 2024 voter-approved constitutional amendment that strengthened abortion rights in the state.
Planned Parenthood announced that abortion services will resume immediately at select clinics, restoring access to care for patients in Missouri.
The blocked regulation had required clinics to undergo licensing by the state health department, which providers argued created politically motivated barriers to care.
Missouri's attorney general is expected to appeal the ruling as the broader lawsuit challenging the state's near-total abortion ban continues.