State Laws Banning/Restricting Abortion

May 20, 2019 | revcom.us

 

State legislatures have enacted at least 1,074 restrictions on abortion since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973. They’re all designed to completely stop, slow, or impede women’s right to abortion.

In 2019 alone, 304 abortion restrictions have been introduced in state legislatures.

A number of states have passed or are in the process of passing “heartbeat” bills. These in effect ban all abortions—prohibiting abortion after six to eight weeks of pregnancy, when doctors can detect a fetal heartbeat and many times, before a woman even knows she is pregnant. Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, and Missouri have each signed into law a “heartbeat” bill, and 11 other states have similar bills in the works.

These are only some of the state bills passed just this year, or about to be passed, that are aimed at taking away a woman’s right to choose:

Arkansas: A bill was signed into law in March that bans abortions after 18 weeks of pregnancy, six weeks before the standard set by Roe v. Wade.

Kentucky: Two bills passed in March—one that is a “heartbeat” bill and the other which bans abortion if a woman is seeking it because of a fetal diagnosis.

Mississippi: In March the governor signed a “heartbeat” bill into law. If upheld, this would close the only remaining abortion clinic in the state.

Utah: In March the governor signed a law to ban abortions after 18 weeks.

Indiana: In April the state placed a near-total ban on the most common type of second-trimester abortion.

Ohio: A “heartbeat” bill was signed into law on April 11, with no exception for rape or incest.

Georgia: A “heartbeat” bill that bans abortion at six weeks was signed into law on May 7. This bans abortion before most women know they are pregnant.

Alabama: On May 15 the governor signed the most restrictive state abortion law since abortion was legalized in 1973. The law completely bans all abortions except if it is “necessary in order to prevent a serious health risk” to the woman. There is no exception for rape or incest. The law classifies performing an abortion as a felony punishable with up to 99 years in prison.

Missouri: May 17, a “heartbeat” bill was passed that would ban all abortions after 8 weeks, before many women know they are pregnant.

Louisiana: A “heartbeat” bill is currently speeding through the state legislature, and the Democratic governor has said he will sign it.

Jefferson, Missouri, May 17, 2019. Photo: AP.