Planned Parenthood CEO talks ahead of judge's decision on abortion in Missouri

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Six weeks after Missourians across the Show Me State voted in favor of reproductive rights for Missouri women, the constitutional amendment has yet to take effect.

"It is however frustrating, upsetting and as Missourians, deeply alarming that you would have elected officials who are so willing to subvert the will of the people,” Emily Wales, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains said.

It was two weeks ago, both Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney General's Office presented their arguments in front of a Jackson County judge.

Wales is weighing in as the amendment hangs in the balance.

Wales calls the fight that the state AG is putting up as "shocking" especially because the majority of Missouri voters approved of supporting reproductive rights. Wales is also imploring the judge in this case for answer sooner rather than later.

"I've never seen anything quite like this, where you have a vote of the people. We had the opportunity in Missouri to hear directly from the people to see what the voters wanted and they wanted to restore abortion rights,” Wales said.

Their attorneys, along with the ACLU of Missouri, argued against the AG's office, for abortions to start in the time frame that a constitutional amendment is supposed to take affect, which is 30 days after voters passed said amendment. But that hasn't happened.

"Missourians currently have a right that they can't realize, they can't access care I was hopeful that we would have care reestablished by now, but the AG's officer has made it very clear that they are going to fight,” Wales said.

It's spurred by a trigger law in Missouri that went into effect following Roe v. Wade being overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022.

Since then, abortions have been illegal in the state, until voters passed Amendment 3 in November.

"We're not going to stop this fight and most importantly, even in this moment, when you can't access your constitutional rights, your neighbors, your friends, your loved ones voted to restore your rights, to make sure you can get the care you need and that means something,” she said.

FOX4 reached out to the Missouri AG's office and have not heard back.

The judge in this case gave all sides by 2 p.m. Thursday to file a motion, then we wait and see what she will decide.

If it's in favor of those supporting the amendment, procedures like abortions could start almost immediately.