Missouri Judge Blocks Most Abortion Restrictions

Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang has issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of most of Missouri’s abortion restrictions, allowing Planned Parenthood to resume procedural abortion services in cities like Kansas City and St. Louis. The decision comes after Missouri voters approved Amendment 3 in November 2024, which enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution. The ruling follows a temporary halt on abortion access by the Missouri Supreme Court in May and finds that the state’s total abortion ban and several related laws conflict with constitutional protections. While bans on medication abortion and certain appointment requirements remain in effect, procedural abortions can now resume. Abortion rights supporters, including Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, welcomed the decision but warned that efforts to reinstate bans continue, notably through a 2026 ballot initiative to repeal the amendment. The legal and political landscape surrounding abortion access in Missouri remains dynamic.