Should jailed prisoners be allowed to get abortions, using state tax money?

The state of Missouri must provide transportation to clinics for inmates who want to have an abortion, a federal appeals panel ruled. In 2005, the Supreme Court ruled the state had to allow a specific inmate to have an abortion after the state tried to end the practice of driving prisoners to clinics for elective abortions. The ACLU then sought a federal ruling making the high court's decision a class-action on behalf of all imprisoned pregnant women in the state. U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple ruled in 2006 that the state must allow pregnant inmates to have abortions and take them to facilities that perform the procedure. It wasn't clear whether the state would appeal. A spokesman for Attorney General Jay Nixon said the decision was still being reviewed. Gov. Matt Blunt called the ruling disappointing and noted that Missouri law prohibits the use of state tax money to pay for abortions.