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Press Releases

On the First Anniversary of the Overturning of Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Persists in Providing Care in Amid Overwhelming Demand

On the first anniversary of the United States Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe V. Wade – eliminating fifty years of federal protection for the right to safe, legal abortion – Planned Parenthood Great Plains (PPGP) persists as a regional care provider. Over the past year, PPGP has worked to protect and expand access in Kansas to meet an overwhelming demand, while fighting for patients in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma who have been stripped of a fundamental right to control their health care.

June 23, 2023 • Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma

Kansas Providers Challenge Inaccurate, Dangerous Abortion Restrictions in Court

Today, Kansas abortion providers filed a lawsuit in state court challenging several onerous, harmful restrictions. These laws make abortion care harder to access by creating delays and forcing providers to relay inaccurate, misleading information that threatens patients’ health and undermines medical ethics. One such restriction—scheduled to take effect July 1—forces providers to falsely tell their patients that a medication abortion can be “reversed,” an unproven claim not based on medicine or science. That law was enacted by state legislators soon after the Governor vetoed the measure and eight months after Kansans overwhelmingly rejected efforts to eliminate the fundamental right to abortion under the state constitution. 

June 6, 2023 • Kansas

Oklahoma Supreme Court Strikes Down Vigilante Abortion Bans; Pre-Roe Ban Remains in Effect

Today, the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down two citizen-enforced abortion bans mirroring Texas’ S.B. 8. The two copycat bans were passed in 2022 before Roe v. Wade was overturned. While abortion remains largely unavailable in Oklahoma and the state’s pre-Roe ban remains in effect, today’s ruling ensures that Oklahoma's vigilante bans cannot hold doctors back from providing life-saving care.

May 31, 2023 • Oklahoma

Court Again Blocks Missouri Attorney General Attempt to Effectively Ban Gender-Affirming Care; Rules Immediate and Real Risk of Harm to Patients

Today, a Missouri court again blocked Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s unprecedented use of an emergency rule to prohibit gender-affirming care for people of all ages. The court in its ruling found there is an immediate and real risk of harm if the rule were to go into effect – both to patients needing care and providers who offer these critical services. This comes just days after the court ordered a temporary stay of the egregious regulations only hours before the rule would have prevented many Missourians from accessing life-saving care.

May 1, 2023 • Missouri

Court Temporarily Blocks Missouri Attorney General Attempt to Effectively Ban Gender-Affirming Care; Planned Parenthood Great Plains Continues Care at Health Centers

Hours before Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s unprecedented use of an emergency rule to prohibit gender-affirming care for people of all ages was set to take effect, a state judge temporarily blocked the egregious regulations. In response to today’s ruling, Planned Parenthood Great Plains (PPGP) will be able to continue providing life-saving gender-affirming care at its Missouri health centers without interruption until a ruling is issued on May 1.

April 26, 2023 • Missouri

U.S. Supreme Court Stays Lower Court Orders on Mifepristone, Preserving Access to Safe Medication at Planned Parenthood Great Plains’ Kansas Health Centers

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay on lower court rulings that attempted to block the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Mifepristone, meaning access to the medication will remain in place throughout the country including Planned Parenthood Great Plains’ (PPGP) Kansas health centers. The decision comes after the Supreme Court granted a temporary stay last week.

April 22, 2023 • Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma

As U.S. Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Court Ruling Banning Mifepristone, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Will Continue to Offer Drug as Part of Medication Abortion Services

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in on the ruling out of a Texas Federal Court last week that blocked the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Mifepristone, one of two medications commonly used in medication abortion care. The Supreme Court granted an administrative stay, meaning neither the Texas court nor the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decisions are in effect until at least Wednesday, April 19.

April 14, 2023 • Kansas

In Major Setback for Abortion Access, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Reacts to Federal Judge’s Decision to Block FDA Approval of Safe, Effective Medication

Today, in a major setback for abortion access since the overruling of Roe v. Wade, a federal court in Texas blocked the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Mifepristone, one of two medications commonly used in medication abortion care in the United States. First approved more than 20 years ago, this decision, if allowed to go into effect, would make Mifepristone unavailable to patients across the country, despite its safety record. Although abortion is illegal in Texas, the court’s ruling would block Mifepristone’s use even in states with legal abortion.

April 8, 2023 • Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Supreme Court Keeps Pre-Roe Ban in Effect

Today, the Oklahoma Supreme Court recognized the state constitution protects the right to abortion in life-threatening situations but nonetheless upheld the state’s “pre-Roe” ban. Today’s decision means most Oklahomans will still not be able to access abortion care, a blow to the entire region. In May 2022, Oklahoma became the first state to ban abortion entirely.

March 21, 2023 • Oklahoma

In The News

Johnson County judge raises concerns about Kansas abortion law

Aug. 8, 2023 • KCTV 5

Two area abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood Great Plains, are seeking to overturn a Kansas law known as the Women’s Right to Know Act.

Posted by Planned Parenthood Great Plains

Johnson County judge appears skeptical that Kansas abortion restrictions are constitutional

Aug. 8, 2023 • The Kansas City Star

A Johnson County judge appeared skeptical Tuesday that a Kansas law imposing a 24-hour waiting period on women seeking abortions in Kansas would stand up to standards established by the state’s constitutional right to an abortion.

Posted by Planned Parenthood Great Plains

Missouri banned abortion. Why is it spending millions to promote alternatives to procedure?

July 7, 2023 • The Kansas City Star

Even after Missouri banned nearly all abortions, the state continues to spend millions on a program designed to dissuade women from the procedure. Under the state budget that took effect this month, Missouri allocated roughly $8.3 million to the Department of Social Services to fund its “Alternatives to Abortion” program. The program directs people to services that help them carry a pregnancy to term instead of getting an abortion.

Posted by Planned Parenthood Great Plains

A year after fall of Roe, 25 million women live in states with abortion bans or tighter restrictions

June 21, 2023 • Associated Press

One year ago Saturday, the U.S. Supreme Court rescinded a five-decade-old right to abortion, prompting a seismic shift in debates about politics, values, freedom and fairness.

Posted by Planned Parenthood Great Plains

Enforcement of Kansas ‘abortion reversal’ law delayed after agreement with Kobach

June 20, 2023 • Kansas Reflector

Enforcement of a Kansas abortion law based in junk science has been indefinitely delayed, in what abortion providers call a temporary relief for a “dangerous and misleading” practice.

Posted by Planned Parenthood Great Plains

Lawsuit claims several old and new Kansas abortion restrictions are unconstitutional

June 6, 2023 • KCUR

Kansas abortion clinics are challenging four state abortion restrictions, including a decades-old 24-hour waiting period and a new “abortion pill reversal” law.

Posted by Planned Parenthood Great Plains

The clock is ticking in Missouri as health care providers race to establish care regimens for trans patients

April 26, 2023 • CNN

Kharri has moved from state to state, running from politics and family, to get the medical gender-affirming care he needs to be his most authentic self without anyone’s intervention.

Posted by Planned Parenthood Great Plains

Oklahoma high court opinion gives hope to advocates that abortion rights could be expanded

April 10, 2023 • Tulsa World

Although a recent court decision determined that Oklahoma’s constitution includes an inherent right for a woman to seek an abortion when its necessary to save her life, access to the procedure remains extremely limited in the state.

Posted by Planned Parenthood Great Plains

Taxpayer funding would boost anti-abortion counseling and ads under Kansans for Life plan

March 8, 2023 • The Topeka Capital-Journal

The state's foremost anti-abortion lobbying group is asking Kansas lawmakers to create a program where taxpayer money would help fund anti-abortion efforts.

Posted by Planned Parenthood Great Plains