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Missouri Trial Could Affect Abortion Access Across the Midwest and South

On Monday, a trial began at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City testing Missouri's abortion regulations, including a 72-hour waiting period and telemedicine ban, which Planned Parenthood affiliates say violate the 2024 amendment.
Over decades, state policy narrowed Missouri provider networks and forced abortions to halt in 2022, while clinic leaders say reopening services will take a long time even if plaintiffs prevail.
At trial, Dr. Margaret Baum testified Missouri's abortion rules single out care, requiring irrelevant patient details, while facilities fail physical standards, and Deputy Solicitor General Peter Donohue called `Abortion is a business`.
Data show many Missourians already travel out of state for care, with 7,880 going to Illinois and 3,960 to Kansas in 2024, while UCSF found travel time rose to 11.3 hours and costs to $372.
Legal scholars note judges often consult rulings from other states, amplifying Missouri's potential influence as Republican lawmakers and ballot measure proponents keep access contested this year.

Insights by Ground AI