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Missouri denies license renewal of state’s lone abortion clinic

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Photo courtesy of Planned Parenthood

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has rejected the license renewal application of the St. Louis Planned Parenthood to provide abortions. The move puts Missouri on track to be the only state in the nation without a clinic offering abortions since 1973’s landmark Roe v. Wade court ruling to legalize abortions nationwide.

Last month, Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit against the state claiming Missouri is weaponizing the licensing process. President Leana Wen says the state “refuses to renew its license” at the St. Louis clinic by “insisting seven of its doctors be interrogated – putting their licenses on the line and potential criminal prosecution.” In an earlier decision, St. Louis Circuit Judge Michael Stelzer blocked the state’s attempt to subpoena Planned Parenthood’s doctors to testify.

At a press conference today at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, Director Randall Williams addressed the media about the St. Louis Planned Parenthood. Watch today’s press conference below:

 

Gov. Parson press conference on Planned Parenthood lawsuit, license deadline is Friday (VIDEOS)

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Gov. Mike Parson says the state is not treating Planned Parenthood in St. Louis differently than any other health care facility. He says health violations and deficiences were cited by DHSS months ago.
According to DHSS, “These concerns are not limited to, but include: 1) violations of Missouri law; 2) violations of applicable Missouri regulations; 3) standard care for patient safety as evidenced by, but not limited to, at least one incident in which patient safety was gravely compromised; 4) failed surgical abortions in which patients remained pregnant; 5) concerns about quality control and communication with a contracted pathology lab; and 6) failure to obtain informed consent.”

Parson took questions from the press:

Missouri Senate passes eight-week abortion ban bill

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After about 15 hours of stalling and negotiating, the Missouri Senate has passed a bill that would ban abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy. During the wee hours this morning, the chamber endorsed the measure along party lines that includes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest cases. Under the plan, abortion doctors would face five to 15 years in prison for violating the eight-week limit.

State Senator Bob Onder

Lake St. Louis Republican Bob Onder, who was visibly outraged, does not think the legislation is tough enough. He says many things were stripped out of the original version.

“What in the world was the justification for why we can’t protect babies born alive after abortions,” he asks. “This should be entitled not the ‘Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act’ but ‘Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act – sort of kind of only after the minority party and the smartest Planned Parenthood lawyers in the country were done with the bill’. We should be ashamed of ourselves. This bill, yes, is better than nothing but is a shadow of what it once was.”

Onder also made a serious allegation about the trafficking of fetal tissue.

“They removed the ban on fetal tissue trafficking. Right now, I’ve become very convinced for a number of reasons, that there is active trafficking of aborted fetal tissue from the abortion clinic on Forest Park Avenue in St. Louis to Washington University School of Medicine,” he says.

Creve Coeur Democrat Jill Schupp disputes the claim.

“It’s already illegal and it’s simply untrue,” Schupp says. “It’s disappointing to me to hear the Senator speak that way.”

Sen. Jill Schupp (D-Creve Coeur)

M’Evie Mead with Planned Parenthood says the “rhetoric” is blatantly false and irresponsible.

Schupp goes on to say it is outrageous the bill does not contain exemptions for victims of human trafficking, rape or incest.

“House Bill 126 is still an extreme and egregious piece of legislation that puts women’s health at risk,” she says. “It is unconstitutional. It is dangerous.”

She says the proposal would also cap tax credits to pro-life pregnancy resource centers at a 70% return rate.

“This is an irresponsible move. We don’t know what the fiscal note from year to year will end up being,” Schupp says.

The proposal would also ban doctors from providing an abortion if the baby would have Down syndrome and abortions sought because of the sex or race of the child. The measure would require both parents to be notified if a minor child is seeking an abortion.

With two days to go in the legislative session, House Bill 126 heads back to the House.

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House hears bill to make abortions in some cases a crime

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A House Committee has heard arguments for and against a bill that would make it a crime to perform an abortion for a woman who wants it because of her unborn child’s sex or a genetic abnormality.

Representative John McCaherty (courtesy; Missouri House Communications)

Representative John McCaherty (courtesy; Missouri House Communications)

The legislation is sponsored by Representative John McCaherty (R-High Ridge).

“Consider the facts that human beings are human beings, and whether or not they have Down’s syndrome or whether or not they are absolutely perfect as we deem ‘perfect being,’ or whether or not they are male or female should not have a basis on whether or not they live.”

McCaherty says his proposal would give a woman legal grounds if after having an abortion she decided she was persuaded into having it by a doctor.

“Right now a lady has no recourse if she is coerced or if she is pressured into having an abortion by a physician or somebody like that … so if she can prove that in court she would have some recourse.”

McCaherty says cases of such persuasion have happened in the State of New York.

Missouri Planned Parenthood lobbyist Michelle Trupiano says the legislation will infringe on the rights of women faced with difficult decisions. She shared the story of a woman in Columbia who had a wanted pregnancy and learned the child had severe complications.

“We see this throughout Missouri and throughout the country … these much wanted, much loved pregnancies that up until that time the families are overjoyed, and they’re not making these decisions lightly, that these are heartbreaking, heartbreaking decisions that they’re having to make … and for a legislature to sit up here and say, ‘We know what’s right for them,” that’s talking about government intrusion in the worst.”

Representative Chris Kelly (D-Columbia) says the bill raises a constitutional question.

“To what degree may the state enact a law which impares the right to choose an abortion based on the condition of the fetus?” He says there are two questions, “Can you do it constitutionally and the other one is if you can do it constitutionally, should you do it?”

The committee has not voted on the proposal.

Catholic Church leader testifies on birth control issue (AUDIO)

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The Catholic Church says a federal mandate regarding insurance coverage for contraceptives is an attack on religious liberty. Catholic doctrine opposes the use of contraception and the church says the mandate forces church-affilated charities, hospitals and schools to break that doctrine.

Bishop John Gaydos testifies to the Senate Commitee on Small Business, Insurance and Industry

On Tuesday, that point was aired in a senate committee hearing.

Senator John Lamping (R-St. Louis County) has offered a bill that would allow employers to refuse to provide insurance coverage for birth control. The Bishop of the Diocese of Jefferson City, John Gaydos, testified in favor of the bill. He illustrated the Church’s view on the issue.

“If we’ve learned in recent weeks, it’s that we should not trust our religious liberties to federal regulators,” Gaydos said. “Without clear guidance from the new federal healthcare law, regulators proceeded to write a rule that violates the moral and religious convictions of Americans.”

Read Lamping’s legislation, SB749.

Gaydos spoke on behalf of the state’s Catholic bishops. He said the Senate bill, “will place in state law a strong and clear prohibition on government infringement on religious liberty and send a strong message to Congress that Missouri opposes the federal government trampling on our religious freedom.”

The bishop says some have suggested that the church avoid curtailing religious liberty by offering healthcare, education and charity only to Catholics. Gaydos says that won’t do.

“Those who make such a suggestion do not understand what it means to be a Roman Catholic,” he says. “Our faith requires us to reach out to all people in need, not just Catholics. This is our mission. We will not retreat from it.”

Gaydos said the mandate would also force employers, including the Church, to pay for sterilization procedures and abortion drugs.

Planned Parenthood Lobbyist Michelle Trupiano testified against the bill. She says the claim that the federal benefit pays for abortion drugs is a “myth.” She said birth control is good preventive care with positive health benefits for women and their families.

“Increased access to birth control is directly linked to declines in maternal and infant mortality as well as other health benefits,” she says. “It’s not always used just to prevent pregnancy. Women should not be denied access to this benefit just because they work for a religious employer.”

The bill advanced out of the committee and now goes to the full Senate.

AUDIO:  Bishop John Gaydos testifies (3:45)

Legislative Committees Consider Abortion Bills

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House and Senate committees are considering legislation regarding consent requirements for obtaining abortions. Under both the House and Senate versions of the bill ( HB 1831 & SB 1058 ), abortions could not be performed or induced without the voluntary, informed, and uncoerced consent of the woman at least 24 hours prior to the abortion.

Representative Bob Onder (R-Lake St. Louis), the House sponsor, says the 24 hour requirement is designed to give the woman the opportunity to be fully informed about the procedure and options to that procedure.

The legislation is opposed by Planned Parenthood. Michelle Trupiano, who represents Planned Parenthood affiliates in Missouri, says safeguards are already in place at all abortion clinics in Missouri, so there is no need for this legislation.

In addition to Planned Parenthood and other abortion-rights organizations, the legislation is also opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU of Eastern Missouri raises free speech concerns because of a component which could make it a crime for a man to engage in certain conversations with a woman involving his desire that she obtain an abortion.

Download/Listen: Steve Walsh reports (:60 MP3)

Planned Parenthood Fears Restrictions on Access to Abortion

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Planned Parenthood is circling the wagons against what it sees as an assault on abortion rights. It’s calling on Governor Matt Blunt (R-MO) to disband his Task Force on the Impact of Abortion on Women, calling the 14-member panel a sham organization whose true objective is to ban abortion in Missouri.

Michelle Trupiano, who represents Planned Parenthood Affiliates in Missouri, says the Task Force, coupled with a new proposal to severely restrict access to abortion through a ballot initiative, must be seen as an attack.

Trupiano says Planned Parenthood does not believe a task force is needed. She says time, energy, and money could be better spent on preventing unintended pregnancies through access to family planning services and comprehensive sex education.

Download/Listen: Steve Walsh report (:60 MP3)

Judge Grants Injunction in Planned Parenthood Challenge of Abortion Law

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Planned Parenthood claims a win in its ongoing legal challenge to a part of  HB 1055 , Missouri’s newest abortion law that calls for stricter regulation of abortion clinics. A federal judge has granted the group its preliminary injunction request.

Peter Brownlee, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, says the ruling allows Planned Parenthood to continue providing abortion services at clinics in Columbia and in mid-town Kansas City.

Governor Matt Blunt (R-MO) and other supporters of the law insist the stricter requirements have to do with women’s safety. Brownlee claims the main purpose of the law is to stand in the way of women obtaining abortion services.

U.S. District Judge Ortrie Smith wants to hear from Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Department of Health in the next 30 days as to how to proceed with this case.

Download/Listen: Peter Brownlee, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri (:21 MP3)

Judge Promises Ruling on Anti-Abortion Law This Month

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A federal judge promises a ruling by September 24th on the court challenge to Missouri’s latest anti-abortion law.  Planned Parenthood and a St. Louis-area abortion provider say the law will force closure of three facilities that do legal abortions in Missouri.  The judge has kept the law from going into effect until he rules. The law would force abortion clinics to meet the same regulations that ambulatory clinics have to meet.

Missouri Abortion Restriction Law on Temporary Hold

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Missouri’s newest abortion restriction, which was to have taken effect, Tuesday, is on hold.

A federal judge in Kansas City has issued a temporary injunction blocking implementation of new rules putting more abortion clinics under Missouri’s stricter requirements for surgical facilities.

The request for the temporary injunction came from Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. A hearing on whether to make the injunction permanent is scheduled for September 10th.