Protests, Challenges Mount As States Pass New Abortion Bans.
TAPPER: In our national lead, Louisiana is the latest red state to pass a ban on almost all abortions. Last night, the state house in Baton Rouge sent to the governor a bill banning abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women would even know they're pregnant. Louisiana joining other conservative states such as Georgia which is now facing a blowback from two of the biggest production companies, Disney and Netflix, which are considering pulling their business if the state's abortion ban takes effect. While in Missouri, a court battle is under way to keep the last legal and functioning abortion clinic in the state from closing tomorrow. CNN's Alexandra Field reports now from St. Louis where abortion rights supporters are accusing the state government of weaponizing regulations to take away a right that the Supreme Court ruled on in 1973.</s>ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Abortion rights protesters on the streets of Missouri as the state prepares to possibly lose its last remaining abortion clinic. The drama playing out today in court after Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit against the state claiming Missouri has placed numerous medically irrelevant restrictions on abortion that have severely limited access and reduced the number of health centers. Planned Parenthood's St. Louis clinic, the state's only abortion clinic, is asking a judge to allow it to keep performing abortions. Its license expires tomorrow.</s>DR. DAVID EISENBERG, DIRECTOR OF ST. LOUIS PLANNED PARENTHOOD: The state has effectively weaponized the regulatory system within the state to regulate abortion out of existence.</s>FIELD: The state says it hasn't renewed the license because of an investigation into some of the clinic's medical records.</s>GOV. MIKE PARSON (R-MO): Planned Parenthood has until Friday to comply with state law in order to receive its renewal license. No one is receiving special treatment.</s>FIELD: This court battle comes a week after Governor Mike Parsons signed a new law ban abortions after eight weeks without exception for rape or incest.</s>PARSON: We have the opportunity to be one of the strongest pro-life states in the country.</s>FIELD: Missouri following in the footsteps of several states that have recently passed some kind of abortion ban. The latest, Louisiana, which just last night passed a law stricter than Missouri's. And the state's Democratic governor plans to sign it.</s>GOV. JOHN BEL EDWARDS (D), LOUISIANA: We will continue to fight for the next generation of Louisianans.</s>FIELD: Jake, none of those new laws has gone into effect yet. They're all likely to face legal challenges. As for the court battle unfolding right here in Missouri, well, Planned Parenthood says they are expecting a decision from the judge by some time tomorrow before the license to operate that clinic expires at the end of the day. No matter what happens, though, Jake, Planned Parenthood will continue to provide all of the other services that the women who go there have come to count on.</s>TAPPER: Alexandra Field in St. Louis, Missouri, thank you so much. In our 2020 lead, Elizabeth Warren's six-word mantra that may now be paying off with voters. Stay with us.