A federal judge in Missouri has granted a restraining order allowing Planned Parenthood, the sole abortion provider in the state, to stay open until at least June 4.
Planned Parenthood had sued the state for withholding the clinic’s license renewal. If the clinic is forced to shutter, Missouri would become the first state without any abortion providers since the Roe v. Wade ruling was handed down 45 years ago.
The Missouri health department is maintaining that the license will not be renewed unless all the doctors who practice at the clinic submit to questioning. Planned Parenthood has countered that some of those doctors only provide services there and are not in its employ, so they can’t be forced to comply.
Republican Gov. Mike Parson jumped aboard the band wagon after signing an eight-week abortion ban into law last week, insisting that the clinic had committed many “violations,” though he declined to elaborate.
The next hearing in the case is set for Tuesday. In the meantime, the clinic can continue operating.
