Planned Parenthood can stay open for now, judge rules

In a written decision issued Monday, Judge Michael Stelzer wrote that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services must make a decision on the license for Planned Parenthood of St. Louis by June 21. Until the agency makes a decision, the clinic can continue operating.

“Today’s decision is a clear victory for our patients – and for people across Missouri – but the threat to safe, legal abortion in the state of Missouri and beyond is far from over,” said Dr. Leana Wen, the president of Planned Parenthood, in a written statement. “We’ve seen just how closely anti-health politicians came to ending abortion care for an entire state. We are in a state of emergency for women’s health in America.”

Planned Parenthood of St. Louis sued the state in late May when the health department threatened to let the clinic’s license lapse unless it could interview five residents that had previously worked at the health center. At the time, the department had not given the clinic any indication what the investigation was regarding, said Dr. Colleen McNicholas, a Planned Parenthood physician in St. Louis.

Last week, Judge Stelzer ruled that testimony of those physicians was an “undue burden” and that the state’s subpoena to interview them “should be quashed.”

Separately, Planned Parenthood had addressed and promised to fix the remainder of the state’s requirements to renew the license, according to documents supplied by Planned Parenthood and shared with CBS News.