Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has filed an appeal in response to a Jackson County court’s preliminary injunction that halts the enforcement of several state health and safety regulations for abortion facilities. The injunction was issued on July 3, weeks after the Missouri Supreme Court had unanimously reinstated those same regulations.
The blocked regulations include requirements that abortion providers:
- Obtain voluntary and informed consent from patients free of coercion;
- Adhere to strict cleanliness standards for equipment and facilities;
- Maintain emergency care plans for complications such as hemorrhaging;
- Offer ultrasounds and provide women the opportunity to see and hear the fetal heartbeat prior to an abortion.
Bailey cited a history of noncompliance by abortion providers, particularly Planned Parenthood, including the use of moldy instruments and failure to report complications. He vowed to continue legal efforts to reinstate the safeguards, emphasizing their importance in protecting the health and safety of Missouri women.
The appeal seeks to overturn the lower court’s ruling and restore the full enforcement of the state’s abortion facility regulations.
