JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Latest on efforts of a St. Louis abortion clinic to retain its license (all times local):
5 p.m.
Missouri’s health department is citing failed abortions, compromised patient safety and legal violations as it pressures the state’s only abortion clinic to come into compliance or lose its license.
Department of Health and Senior Services Director Randall Williams in a Wednesday statement described the issue as an “unprecedented refusal” by the St. Louis Planned Parenthood to cooperate.
The clinic’s license expires Friday. If it’s not renewed, Missouri will be the only state without any abortion facility.
The health department cited concerns including “at least one incident in which patient safety was gravely compromised” and “failed surgical abortions.”
The agency also says several physicians are refusing to be interviewed. Planned Parenthood has said two staff doctors agreed but the others did not, and Planned Parenthood can’t compel them because they’re not staff.
An Associated Press request for comment to Planned Parenthood about the agency’s latest allegations was not immediately returned Wednesday.
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3:15 p.m.
The president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America says Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s explanation of why the state’s only abortion clinic might be forced to close is “not based on medicine, facts, or reality.”
The Republican governor on Wednesday said the state will not renew Planned Parenthood’s license to perform abortions unless its St. Louis clinic fixes issues raised by the Department of Health and Senior Services. The license expires Friday.
Planned Parenthood, the health department and Parson all have declined to outline the alleged deficiencies despite repeated requests from The Associated Press.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America CEO Dr. Leana Wen says in a statement that Parson’s comments confirm that his goal is to ban abortion care in Missouri.
Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit seeking to ensure that the clinic can continue to provide abortions. A Wednesday court hearing was postponed without explanation and rescheduled for Thursday morning.
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2:05 p.m.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is doubling down on the state’s threat not to renew the license of the only abortion clinic in the state.
Parson on Wednesday said the state will not renew Planned Parenthood’s license to perform abortions unless its St. Louis clinic fixes issues raised by the Department of Health and Senior Services. The license expires Friday.
Parson didn’t go into specifics, but he repeated the state’s request to interview physicians who worked at the clinic.
Planned Parenthood says two staff doctors agreed but the others did not, and Planned Parenthood can’t compel them because they’re not staff.
The organization has filed a lawsuit seeking to ensure that the clinic can continue to provide abortions.
A Wednesday court hearing on the lawsuit was canceled without explanation. It was rescheduled for Thursday morning.
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11:05 a.m.
A hearing is scheduled in a St. Louis court Wednesday on an effort by the only abortion clinic in Missouri to retain its license.
Planned Parenthood said Tuesday that it may be forced to stop providing abortions at its St. Louis facility because the state is threatening not to renew its license to perform abortions. The license expires Friday.
If it’s not renewed, the organization says Missouri would become the first state without a functioning abortion clinic since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.
Missouri Republican Gov. Mike Parson is holding a news conference on the matter in his Capitol office an hour before the court hearing.
Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit to try to ensure abortion services continue in St. Louis. Parson’s comments Wednesday will be the state’s first response to Planned Parenthood’s concerns.
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10:20 a.m.
Missouri Republican Gov. Mike Parson is holding a news conference on the imperiled license of the only abortion clinic in the state.
Parson will discuss the issue Wednesday in his Capitol office.
Planned Parenthood said Tuesday that it may be forced to stop providing abortions at the St. Louis facility because the state is threatening to not renew its license to perform abortions. The license expires Friday.
If it’s not renewed, the organization says Missouri would become the first state without a functioning abortion clinic since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.
Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit to try to ensure abortion services continue in St. Louis. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and Parson’s office haven’t responded to requests for comment.
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