Several states are working to protect abortion rights — and efforts were ramping up among Democratic leaders and lawmakers on Sunday — following the US Supreme Court’s ruling eliminating the federal constitutional right to an abortion, with Saturday marking the first full day without the nationwide protection in nearly 50 years.
The impact of Friday’s historic ruling that struck down a 1973 legal precedent known as Roe v. Wade was felt immediately, with at least 10 states effectively banning abortion as of Saturday night. Another five states are expected to enact varying trigger laws limiting abortion in the coming days and weeks, including Wyoming, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and Idaho.
In all, 26 states have laws that indicate they could outlaw or set extreme limits on abortions, effectively banning the procedure in those states, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights.
As some states move to restrict abortion rights, others are taking steps to better protect and expand abortion access and funding. Here are some of those states:
California: Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed a new law strengthening abortion rights in the state. California’s new law, passed by the state legislature on Thursday, will create a protective shield against any potential civil action originating outside the state for anyone performing, assisting, or receiving an abortion in the state. AB 1666 will protect not just California residents but anyone visiting the state seeking reproductive health care. The new law is just one of more than a dozen bills making their way through the legislature, aiming to strengthen and protect abortion access. Other proposed bills would seek to focus on root causes of reproductive health inequities, enhance privacy protections, and allow qualified nurse practitioners to provide first-trimester abortions.
Minnesota: Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order Saturday providing protections for people who travel into the state for reproductive health care from states where abortion is illegal or criminalized, his office said. The announcement comes as Red River Women’s Clinic — the only clinic that performs abortions in neighboring North Dakota — is preparing to move its services to Minnesota.
Washington: Gov. Jay Inslee promised to create a “sanctuary state” for reproductive choice for people across the country. In doing so, Inslee announced an upcoming executive order that will direct state police not to comply with extradition efforts from other states seeking to penalize those who travel to Washington to receive an abortion. He didn’t specify when the executive order will be released and or when it will take effect.
Wisconsin: Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vowed to “fight this decision in every way we can with every power we have,” after his Republican-controlled state legislature declined to repeal the state’s 1849 law banning abortion, which is taking effect again following the Supreme Court ruling. “Our office is reviewing today’s decision and will be providing further information about how we intend to move forward next week,” Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a statement Friday.
CNN’s Cheri Mossburg contributed reporting to this post.
Quoted from Various Sources
Published for: WATPFC
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