History of Planned Parenthood and related law

COLUMBIA — Planned Parenthood, which has been serving women at its Columbia clinic for 38 years, could face significant financial challenges if it cannot obtain waivers for the requirements of a new state law.

Established in Columbia in 1970, Planned Parenthood offers family planning counseling and contraceptive information with medical examination, prescriptions and follow-up. It began offering “pregnancy termination services” in May 1974, following the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that legalized abortion.

At the time, no other medical facility in the area provided abortion services, according to the Missourian. Although some physicians at Boone Hospital Center offered abortions on an individual doctor-patient basis, the UM System Board of Curators forbade doctors at University Hospital to perform elective abortions.

In July 2007, Gov. Matt Blunt signed House Bill 1055 which “expands the definition of ambulatory surgical center to include any establishment operated for the purpose of performing or inducing any second or third trimester abortion, or which performs at least five or more first trimester abortions per month,” said Mary Kay Hager of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

For Planned Parenthood, this law means it needs major structural renovations because, among other things, it calls for wider doors and hallways and larger rooms.

“Because abortion is legal, they (anti-abortion advocates) are trying to make it too costly for clinics to offer abortion services, and then (they will) have to close their doors” said Michelle Trupiano, the Planned Parenthood Affiliates in Missouri’s Capitol lobbyist.

“That’s why we’re dealing with House Bill 1055 now.”
Since the legislation requires Planned Parenthood to make numerous renovations, it might have to do extensive fundraising, but it expects to remain open, Trupiano said.

“If we’re required to meet any structural requirements, we would close the side of the building where we do abortions for some time during construction,” Trupiano said. “We also may not be able to provide exams or other services for a short period of time due to the construction ... if there is any.”

Planned Parenthood has protested the new law and asked that it be overturned. The judge ordered Planned Parenthood to submit requests for waivers from the standards, which Planned Parenthood did. Department of Health officials inspected the clinic to check the waivers requested. They have not decided yet whether to grant them.

This isn’t the first time Planned Parenthood has battled legislation.

“It seems like there’s something every year,” Trupiano said. “We litigate almost every case where legislation is passed against the right to choice. We believe any restriction on a woman’s right to choice is unconstitutional.”

She cited several examples.

In 2005, the legislature passed the Endangering Teen Health bill, which “makes it a crime for any adult other than a parent to help a teen get an abortion in another state,” Trupiano said.

And in 2003, the mandatory delay legislation was passed, which requires women seeking abortions to have counseling and wait 24 hours before going ahead with an abortion.

“Mostly, this legislation deals with access,” Trupiano said. “A 24-hour delay isn’t just a 24-hour delay.”
There are only three clinics in Missouri that perform abortions. They are located in Kansas City, St. Louis and Columbia. Since only two clinics — Columbia and St. Louis — perform surgical abortions, many people must travel to get to a Planned Parenthood. This means the mandatory wait often ends up being longer than 24 hours and results in more second and third trimester abortions, Trupiano said.

In 1996 President Clinton reversed several anti-abortion policies, including the Title X gag rule.

“Basically the way a gag order works is that doctors and providers can’t get state money if they tell a pregnant woman all of her options, meaning they can’t tell her about abortion, whether or not they provide the service,” Trupiano said. “But we don’t have a gag order in effect anymore.”

In 1980 legislation was passed to stop Medicaid from paying for abortions.