LAST ONE STANDING

Missouri Down to One Abortion Clinic After New State Requirements

The state’s second-to-last clinic was forced to close Wednesday after it failed to adhere to new state requirements.

Missouri now has only one abortion clinic serving the state after its second clinic was forced to end abortion services Wednesday. A federal court ruled last month that the state can require doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals before they perform abortions. On Monday, the rule officially took effect. The Columbia Planned Parenthood could not secure a physician who complied with the requirement, so it cancelled abortions for Wednesday. The clinic continues to provide other health-care services. Planned Parenthood attorneys had asked U.S. Western District Court Judge Brian Wimes to temporarily exempt the Columbia clinic from the requirement before Wednesday. Wimes hasn’t yet ruled on that request.