Planned Parenthood Sues to Block New Missouri Abortion Regulations

By Eric Young, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Planned Parenthood is suing to block a new Missouri law from taking effect next week, claiming that it could force them to close two of their abortion offices.

The federal lawsuit filed Monday contends the law – which would subject clinics to stringent state oversight when it goes into effect Aug. 28 – would infringe on abortion rights, and asks a judge for an injunction blocking it.

"This onerous legislation has nothing to do with protecting women's health and safety," said Peter Brownlie, chief executive officer of the Planned Parenthood branch in Missouri, according to The Associated Press. "This is a blatant attempt to close down clinics and deny women their right to health care."

Missouri's anti-abortion majority in the Legislature, however, contends the law is necessary to ensure the health and safety of women seeking abortions. According to AP, the new law pulls more clinics under the state's umbrella by requiring any facility that performs more than five first-trimester abortions a month, or any second- or third-trimester abortions, to meet the licensure requirements for an "ambulatory surgical center."

Pro-life advocates who back the legislation have accused Planned Parenthood of placing profits above patients.

"Planned Parenthood claims that if it had to meet basic safety requirements for outpatient clinics, two of its abortion centers would go out of business," noted Georgette Forney, co-founder of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, in a released statement. "That speaks volumes not only about the conditions of those clinics, but also Planned Parenthood's concern for the well being of the women it claims to serve."

"It's all about money," added Janet Morana, also a co-founder of SNMAC, which claims to be the nation's largest network of women and men "harmed" by abortion. "We're talking about fundamental requirements like having doors and hallways big enough to accommodate stretchers, scrub-up facilities for operating rooms, and walls and floors that are washable. Apparently, basics like that are too much to ask from Planned Parenthood."

Health department director Jane Drummond and Republican state Sen. Delbert Scott, a lead sponsor of the legislation, cast doubt on whether Attorney General Jay Nixon — an abortion-rights supporter and Democrat running for governor — would aggressively defend the law. According to AP, the health department said it was exploring whether to use its own in-house attorneys or hire private attorneys instead of relying on Nixon's office.

A Nixon spokesman told AP the attorney general's office planned to defend the law and the health department, but declined to otherwise comment about the lawsuit.