For America, this appears to be a year of reckoning on the abortion issue.
In recent months, a number of states have enacted restrictive abortion laws with the express intention of having them challenged in the Supreme Court. With Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh now on the bench, it is the anti-abortionists’ hope that one of those laws will be overturned Deer vs Wade and take away constitutional protections for abortion rights.
These laws range from restricting the legality of certain abortion procedures, to making abortions illegal once a heartbeat is detected (with rare exceptions), to criminalizing doctors who perform abortions. Furthermore, some states have enacted so-called “trigger laws” that should ban or severely restrict abortion Deer vs Wade to be tipped over.
On the other hand, some state legislatures have moved in the opposite direction, ensuring legal protections for abortion: New York passed legislation decriminalizing abortion, and Vermont is on the verge of making abortion a fundamental right. Massachusetts, Illinois, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Maine, Nevada and Hawaii are all at different stages of work on legislation that would protect abortion rights.
Below are the states that have introduced anti-abortion legislation in recent months, with a breakdown of what the law requires and its status.
Alabama
What: Makes it illegal to have an abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest.
When: The law was signed on May 15th.
Status: ACLU and Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit to challenge the law.
Arkansas
What: Banned after 18 weeks, except for rape, incest and medical emergencies. Also has a triggering abortion ban bill in the pipeline if the Supreme Court overturns Deer vs Wade.
When: Signed March 15.
status: Comes into effect this summer.
Georgia
What: Bans abortion after the fetal heartbeat – usually around six weeks into a pregnancy.
When: Signed May 7th.
status: Pro-choice organizations promised lawsuits against the law. Companies investing in Georgia (including Netflix and Disney) said they will reconsider investing in the state if the law is enforced.
Indiana
What: Allows healthcare professionals to choose not to have an abortion; prohibits dilatation and evacuation, medical procedures for second-trimester abortions.
When: Signed April 24.
status: Comes into force in May.
Kentucky
What: Prohibits abortion beyond the fetal heartbeat.
When: Signed March 15.
status: Blocked by federal court.
Louisiana
What: A bill that would ban most abortions after the fetus’s heartbeat is detected.
When: On the Governor’s desk since May 29; He is expected to legally sign it.
status: The law will only go into effect if a Mississippi bill (see below) is upheld by a federal court.
Mississippi
What: Bans abortion after the fetal heartbeat; Ban on dilatation and evacuation.
When: Signed March 21.
status: Temporarily blocked by a federal court.
Missouri
What: Ban on abortion after eight weeks.
When: Signed May 24.
status: Planned Parenthood has challenged the law; All abortion clinics could close by May 31.
North Dakota
What: Ban on expansion and evacuation.
When: Signed April 10.
status: May be appealed to a similar Arkansas law, pending the decision of an appellate court.
Ohio
What: Prohibits abortion beyond the fetal heartbeat.
When: Signed April 11.
status: Scheduled to come into effect on July 11. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood have filed a lawsuit to temporarily block the law’s enactment while a federal judge makes a final decision on it.
Utah
What: Ban on abortion after 18 weeks, with some exceptions.
When: Signed March 25.
status: Blocked by a federal court.
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