Missouri Supreme Court
ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Supreme Court has issued a decisive ruling halting abortions in the state, temporarily reversing lower court decisions that had allowed procedures to resume in cities like Kansas City, St. Louis and Columbia.
In its May 27 order, the court directed Jackson Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang to vacate the previous rulings that struck down licensing requirements for abortion providers, citing the use of incorrect legal standards.
The court’s decision comes after Zhang had ruled in February that facility licensing requirements were discriminatory in light of the newly passed Amendment 3, which enshrined reproductive rights into the Missouri Constitution.
Zhang wrote that the licensing statute unfairly targeted abortion clinics by mandating unnecessary exams and compliance standards not required of other healthcare providers, such as those treating miscarriages. The decision was hailed by abortion rights advocates as a win for patient access and medical freedom.
However, the Missouri Supreme Court found that Zhang’s reasoning was legally flawed.
In response, Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who had petitioned the court to intervene, applauded the ruling.
Andrew Bailey
“Today’s decision from the Missouri Supreme Court is a win for women and children and sends a clear message – abortion providers must comply with state law regarding basic safety and sanitation requirements,” Bailey said in a statement.
He added that the ruling serves as a victory for common sense, medical safety and the sanctity of life.
“The law is clear,” he stated. “The evidence is overwhelming. And Missouri will enforce every word of it.”
Bailey also noted concerns about health and safety, pointing to what he described as “unqualified medical practitioners, moldy equipment, and a lack of approved complication plans” as potential consequences of loosening abortion regulations.
He pledged to continue holding providers, including Planned Parenthood, accountable to Missouri’s standards.
Byron Keelin, President of the Freedom Principle MO, echoed the attorney general’s sentiments, characterizing the Supreme Court’s move as a protective measure for women and children.
“Amendment 3 was a Trojan Horse ballot initiative that radically changed Missouri’s constitution, putting women and children at serious risk,” Keelin said.
He argued that Zhang’s ruling effectively eliminated “all fair medical licensing standards” for facilities performing reproductive-related care, and praised the Supreme Court for restoring those protections.
The ruling has significant implications for ongoing political efforts. The Freedom Principle MO and other pro-life organizations have thrown their support behind HJR 73, a proposed amendment that would limit abortions in Missouri to cases of rape, incest, and medical emergencies.
“The proposed amendment will restore vital protections against medical malpractice injury for all Missourians and restore ethical medical standards,” Keelin stated, while also taking aim at what he called “corrupt, out-of-state extremists” behind Amendment 3.
On the other side of the debate, abortion rights advocates are calling the court’s ruling a major setback.
Planned Parenthood, which had resumed services in the state following Zhang’s February order, said the licensing requirements amounted to deliberate roadblocks designed to obstruct access to care.
“This decision to block Missouri’s abortion provider licensure requirements... is a huge step to realizing the promise of Missourians’ new constitutional right to reproductive freedom,” Gillian Wilcox, Director of Litigation at the ACLU of Missouri, told KCTV-5.
Planned Parenthood Great Plains President Emily Wales called Zhang’s earlier ruling “a triumph for all Missourians,” and vowed to continue fighting, according to KCTV-5.
“We will not stop fighting to protect both women and unborn children from reckless, profit-driven practices,” added Stephanie Bell, a spokeswoman for Missouri Stands with Women, KCTV-5 reported.
A bench trial to determine the future of abortion access in Missouri is scheduled for January 2026.
