abortion

Johnson County judge Christopher Jayaram ruled the state’s abortion restrictions, including mandatory waiting periods, violated Kansans’ right to bodily autonomy and “infringe upon a woman’s fundamental rights.” The controversial case was made even more so by the timing of the decision.

Kansas voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would have changed to electing state Supreme Court justices, in a win for groups that were concerned the change would impact abortion rights and school funding.

Because voters rejected Amendment 4, proposed state constitutional amendments brought by the public will still require a simple majority to pass once on the ballot.

Amendment 4 would require any constitutional amendment put on the ballot through the initiative petition process to pass in all eight congressional districts, rather than by a simple majority. Missouri voters in recent years have passed amendments like abortion rights and marijuana legalization that were opposed by Republican lawmakers.

If approved by Kansas voters in the Aug. 4 election, the constitutional amendment would abolish the current merit-based nominating process for Supreme Court justices that has been in place since 1958. While supporters argue the change would rid the system of elitism, opponents say it will allow money to influence court decisions.

A Planned Parenthood clinic in Springfield began providing medication abortion Monday while also expanding pain management for IUD placements and biopsies. It's the fifth clinic to begin offering the service after a June court decision struck down Missouri's restrictions.

Early voting is underway. The amendment appears on ballots statewide during the primary election and every voter can weigh in, regardless of political affiliation.

The Aug. 4 proposal would require citizen-led amendments to win in every congressional district, turning the ballot fight into a debate over who speaks for voters outside Missouri's big cities.

Among the legislation signed by Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is a wide-reaching public health bill that requires the state to track cases of Lyme disease and alpha-gal syndrome, and allows people to obtain up to 12 months of birth control pills at once.

Planned Parenthood Great Plains hopes to offer abortion services at all of its Missouri health centers, including Independence. They’re also expanding other sexual and reproductive health care into Louisiana.

This is the first time that Planned Parenthood's Gladstone clinic has ever offered medication abortion, after a judge struck down Missouri's restrictions on mifepristone. Officials said that appointments "filled quickly."

Following the Thursday ruling by a Jackson County judge, Planned Parenthood in Kansas City began providing medication abortions to patients on Monday for the first time since 2018. But affiliates are still fighting limitations as critics again seek to restrict access via a ballot issue in November.