Missouri Abortion Ban Faces New Challenge after Court of Appeals Ruling

Missouri voters may get a chance to decide the fate of a new abortion ban that restricts abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy. 

The Missouri Court of Appeals is ordering the Missouri secretary of state to approve a referendum challenging the law. 

A referendum application was originally submitted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), but denied by Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft on June 6, the Kansas City Star reports.

Challenging the law would allow Missourians to vote either to approve or reverse the ban, most of which is set to go into effect August 28.

The ACLU would have to collect more than 100,000 signatures by then to put the law on hold until a public vote in 2020.

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Despite health violations and an expired license, Missouri's sole abortion clinic has remained in operation.

Live Action reports that in the past decade, over 70 women have been sent to the hospital after receiving service at that abortion clinic. 

Health department officials have cited concerns at the clinic, including that three "failed abortions" required additional surgeries, and another led to life-threatening complications.

If the Missouri clinic loses its license, it would reportedly be the first state without an abortion clinic in nearly 50 years.

The number of abortions performed in Missouri has declined every year for the past decade, reaching a low of 2,910 last year.