Mother Jones: Missouri Abortion Ban Basically Remains Intact

A progressive take that makes an important point about relying on court rulings to enforce election law. 

Agree or disagree . . . Here's the next phase of the debate .  . .

But simply having the constitutional right to abortion does not alone change anything on the ground: The courts must enforce this right by affirming that anti-abortion laws violate states’ newly amended constitutions. A ruling this week by a Missouri judge shows just how fraught it is to depend on the courts for abortion access—even after the people, by popular vote, demand it . . .

“While Planned Parenthood stands ready to start providing abortions in Missouri again as soon as the Court permits, the abortion restrictions remaining in effect—including Missouri’s medically unnecessary and discriminatory clinic licensing requirement—make this impossible,” Planned Parenthood Great Plains said in a statement after Zhang’s ruling. “The vast majority of Planned Parenthood health centers cannot comply with the medically irrelevant size requirements for hallways, rooms, and doors.”

In her order, Zhang said she was allowing the licensure law to remain in place while the lawsuit continues because it involves rules for facilities rather than “the right of individuals seeking care”—without addressing the reality that the facility rules were designed to undercut the right to abortion.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Missouri Judge Blocks Abortion Ban-But Clinics Still Can't Reopen

The judge upheld a frivolous licensing requirement designed to shutter clinics.