The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. This was a very controversial ruling: We knew it was coming but it still felt like a punch in the gut, and many of us consider the right to choose to be a human right, making it seem as though we are backsliding in an area where a lot of us believed we had made tremendous progress.
johnhain
Now, the decision to enforce laws preventing abortions—or allowing them—is solely up to each individual state.
STATES WHERE ABORTION IS ILLEGAL A
In my view, there are too many states where abortion is illegal.
1. Alabama
"The 2019 Human Life Protection Act, which had been held by an injunction, was allowed to go into effect Friday. It makes it unlawful 'for any person to intentionally perform or attempt to perform an abortion' unless 'an abortion is necessary in order to prevent a serious health risk to the unborn child's mother.'" —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
2. Arizona
"A pre-Roe v. Wade law bans abortions except when the mother's life is endangered. Gov. Doug Ducey in April signed a law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy that will go into effect." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
3. Arkansas
"Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge signed the state's trigger law into effect Friday, banning abortion in the state following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. The Arkansas Human Life Protection Act makes performing or attempting to perform an abortion a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. The only exception is if the mother's life is in danger." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
4. Florida
Abortions will be illegal very soon.
"A law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy will go into effect July 1." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
5. Georgia
"A law prohibiting abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy was signed in 2019 but not in effect following legal challenges." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
Nonetheless, the law prohibiting abortions after six weeks is expected to go into effect very soon.
"Georgia’s six-week abortion ban is expected to take effect soon, now that the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday. The court’s decision allows states to enact their own abortion laws. Georgia abortion-rights advocates say they’ll keep fighting for access to the procedure across the state." —Jess Mador
6. Idaho
"A trigger law making abortion illegal goes into effect 30 days after Roe is overturned." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
7. Iowa
8. Kentucky
"Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced Friday that abortion is now banned in the state after a trigger law went into effect. Under the law, anybody who performs or attempts to perform an abortion will be charged with a Class D felony, punishable by one to five years in prison. The only exception is if the mother's health is at risk." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
9. Louisiana
"Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said Friday abortion is banned in the state after a trigger law went into effect following the Supreme Court's decision. Earlier this week, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill into law that strengthened the 2006 trigger law that went into effect Friday. The new law increases the penalties abortion providers face: prison terms range from one to 10 years and $10,000 to $100,000 in fines. The state constitution also bars the right to abortion, and lawmakers recently approved a bill to ban abortion after 'fertilization and implantation.'" —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
10. Mississippi
"A trigger law banning nearly all abortions would go into effect immediately after Roe is overturned. In addition to its 15-week abortion ban at the center of the Supreme Court case, Mississippi has a 6-week abortion ban." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
11. Missouri
"Missouri ended the right to abortion following the Supreme Court decision. On Friday, Gov. Mike Parsons tweeted that he signed a proclamation activating the Right to Life of the Unborn Child Act, ending elective abortions in the state." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
12. North Dakota
"A trigger law is in place to make abortion illegal. After Roe is overturned, the Legislative Council must approve a recommendation from the state's attorney general that the ban on abortion is constitutional." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
13. Ohio
"A 6-week ban on abortion that had been previously blocked was allowed to go into effect Friday." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
14.Oklahoma
"Oklahoma Attorney General John O'Connor announced Friday the state trigger law banning abortions went into effect after the Supreme Court voted to strike down Roe v. Wade. Prior to the ruling, Oklahoma had a near-total ban on abortion." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
15. Pennsylvania
"The right to an abortion is not protected by constitutional or statutory laws." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
16. South Dakota
"A trigger law was in place to make abortion illegal. After Roe was overturned, it went into effect immediately without further action required. The law makes all abortions illegal 'unless there is appropriate and reasonable medical judgment that performance of an abortion is necessary to preserve the life of the pregnant female.'" —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
17. Tennessee
"A trigger law is in place to make abortion illegal that goes into effect 30 days after Roe is overturned with no further action required. The state constitution bars protection of the right." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
18. Texas
"A trigger law is in place to make abortion illegal that goes into effect 30 days after Roe is overturned with no further action required. The state already has a 6-week ban in effect." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
19. Utah
"Most abortions are now illegal in Utah after the trigger law ban was put into effect. The law does allow for exceptions for rape, incest, averting maternal death or impairment, and lethal fetal deformity." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
20. Wisconsin
"Wisconsin has a pre-Roe law dating back to 1849 making an abortion a felony that could go back into effect if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
21. Wyoming
"A trigger law is in place to make abortion illegal. It would require certification by the governor, advised by attorney general within 30 days of the Supreme Court ruling." —Katie Kindelan & Mary Kekatos
In my view, each and every woman deserves the right to a safe and legal abortion. It's deeply disturbing that some women will now be jailed if they choose not to give birth.
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