Abortion Ban Still Hot Topic in Missouri

Jefferson City, Mo. (KFMO) - Thursday a constitutional amendment took affect in Missouri, which restored the right to an abortion in the state. This is after voters approved the ballot measure last month.

However, statutes still in effect would prevent health care professionals from providing the procedure, leading to ongoing legal battles. Missouri is one of five states where ballot measures related to enshrining abortion rights saw success and it's going to join other states like Kansas and Ohio that voted for abortion rights despite having conservative leaning state governments. Missouri had a trigger ban that went into effect after the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision. Things are still going to be a little bit tricky as it relates to access to the procedure because that amendment that passed in November doesn't get rid of any restrictive abortion bans nor does it override them. So technically, the abortion ban is still going to be on the books. Because the abortion ban is still going to be on the books, to strike down the abortion ban, a lawsuit must be brought.

So, Missouri's two Planned Parenthood providers filed a lawsuit shortly after the passage of that constitutional amendment last month and a judge just heard oral arguments for that case on Wednesday.