KANSAS CITY – Late Thursday afternoon, July 3, 2025 as our nation and families were preparing to celebrate Independence Day, left wing activist Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang, without any notice or input from Missouri’s top legal official, released a ruling for the third time to remove almost all health and safety standards for abortions.
Advocates of the law say removing the safeguards puts women’s lives at great risk from an unregulated abortion industry. They say the ruling means there will be no guidelines or boundaries for abortions on women.
The advocates say the health and safety standards put in place in Missouri statutes were diligently vetted and reviewed by medical professionals and legislators after inspections by the Missouri Department of Health found multiple infractions over the years that included: dried bloody equipment, rusty equipment, expired drugs and unqualified workers. They call Judge Zhang’s ruling egregious and dangerous to women’s health.
Attorney General Andrew Bailey issued a statement that he would immediately appeal the decision by Judge Zhang. He stated that, “We respectfully but firmly disagree with the Court’s decision to once again block the enforcement of Missouri’s duly enacted health and safety regulations,” the statement read. “These requirements were designed to ensure that women receive care in sanitary conditions from qualified professionals, with emergency safeguards in place.”
The Missouri legislature has placed a referendum on the November 2026 ballot to let Missouri voters speak out and ensure protections for women, children and babies. The new Amendment 3 will ensure health and safety standards can be enforced while allowing for some exceptions for abortion.
Missouri Right to Life thanks Attorney General Bailey and our pro-life legislators for fighting for safety standards for women, children and babies in Missouri.