The States Banning Abortion Now That SCOTUS Has Ruled
Author: Trudy Ring
Wyoming has passed a law banning abortion “except in cases of rape, incest and serious risk of death or ‘substantial and irreversible physical impairments,’” WyoFile notes. The law is set to go into effect five days after Gov. Mark Gordon certifies it to the secretary of state. It’s not yet known when he will do that.
Other States
In addition to the states cited above, several states have abortion bans predating Roe that are still on the books, others have enacted bans more recently without trigger provisions, and others are likely to adopt bans. In Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is fighting reinstatement of a ban that dates to 1931. Abortion rights supporters in Wisconsin are seeking to block the reinstatement of an even older ban, dating to 1849. Arizona likewise has an old abortion ban, but state officials said they will seek to enforce a more recent one, banning the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy. It is set to take effect this fall.
Alabama passed a law in 2019 banning abortion except when the pregnancy is life-threatening, and the state’s attorney general filed a motion in court today seeking to put it into effect; it did not have a trigger provision. West Virginia has enacted legislation making it a felony to perform an abortion unless the pregnant person is at risk of death or severe health complications, and state officials are looking at how to put it in force. Florida, under Gov. Ron DeSantis, has passed a law banning most abortions after 15 weeks, and it’s set to take effect July 1, but it’s being challenged in court.
Ohio in 2019 approved a “heartbeat law” banning abortions after six weeks. It was blocked from going into effect by a court, but state officials are seeking to have the stay lifted. Georgia also has a “heartbeat law,” which has likewise been blocked in court, but it is likely to be allowed to go into effect soon. Numerous other states may consider abortion restrictions in special sessions this summer. Stay tuned.
Original Article on The Advocate
Author: Trudy Ring
