Abortion law

Maine has a liberal set of abortion laws that would survive if Roe v. Wade was overturned unless there is a major political shift here.

There are exceptions if the mother’s life is in danger. A parent or guardian’s consent is not required if the latter two options are pursued. The Maine Republican party has adopted a formal policy plank outlining their anti-abortion stance. The law changed after a court case challenging a Department of Health and Human Services rule forbidding public coverage of the practice. The Legislature has been pro-abortion rights under Gov. Janet Mills, according to legislative scorecards compiled by the campaign arm of Planned Parenthood, a pro-abortion rights organization. Abortions are allowed in Maine up to the point of viability of the fetus, which is defined in state law as when a child could survive outside the womb on its own or with life support.

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, a controversial abortion restriction signed into law by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp but later blocked by a federal ...

The law, which bans abortions once a “fetal heartbeat” is detected, is effectively in limbo, as an appeals court has declined to rule on it until the Supreme Court makes a decision on another case that could result in Roe v. She said she had an abortion in her 20s when she was already a mother to a few children. A January poll from the Atlanta Journal Constitution found about 68% of Georgia voters oppose overturning Roe v. The bill was signed into law in 2019 and blocked by a federal court in 2020. She said a family member pressured her to get an abortion. Wade means a 15-week abortion ban signed into law by the governor would no longer be considered unconstitutional.

In its 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court found a constitutional right to abortion, grounded in what it described as a “right to privacy” provided ...

But he said that history had always been crucial to the abortion debate, since analysis of history was “at the core of Roe.” People on both sides of the issue, she said, were driven by a mix of motives. But he dismisses the claim, saying it is based on only a handful of supporters of abortion bans. Instead, Justice Alito notes arguments that proponents of abortion rights were the ones with racist motives. “This is a question that our own women must answer; upon their loins depends the future destiny of the nation.” Would the frontier “be filled by our own children or by those of aliens?” he asked. And some members expressed concern that middle-class “Anglo-Saxon” women were not having as many children as Catholic immigrants and people of color. The 98-page draft, written by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., asserts that “an unbroken tradition of prohibiting abortion on pain of criminal punishment persisted from the earliest days of the common law until 1973.” “That is because common law did not even acknowledge a fetus as existing separately from a pregnant woman” before quickening, the historians argue. But the opinion, she and others argue, underplays the fact that for most of the first 100 years of American history, early abortions — before fetal “quickening” (generally defined as the moment when the fetus’s movements can be detected) — were not illegal. Justice Alito begins his historical argument by saying that the right to abortion is a recent invention. And regulation relied on women’s own experience, since they were the ones who would know when “quickening” occurred.

If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the right to an abortion in purple states, like Pennsylvania, might largely depend on which party can keep ...

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With abortion protections under threat, Maryland lawmakers put millions toward training new abortion providers so the liberal state could be a sanctuary for ...

If the Supreme Court overturns the 1973 precedent, the legality of abortion will be left to individual states. Wade, according to a leaked draft of the opinion published by Politico and confirmed by Chief Justice Roberts. Hogan could largely dodge abortion questions during his tenure but was forced to take a stance this spring. Since most abortion training takes place in clinical settings, if those states ban abortion, medical training to perform abortions could be severely curtailed, Kelly said. He’s barred from spending that money on anything besides abortion training, but he can use his discretion on whether to spend it at all. He has been silent this week after a leaked draft opinion signaled the possibility that the Supreme Court would overturn the Roe v. And now we’re seeing elections have consequences,” said Del. Ariana B. Kelly (D-Montgomery), the lead sponsor of Maryland’s abortion access law. Hogan has promised not to try to change Maryland’s long-standing abortion laws, enacted after a public referendum in the early 1990s. Abortion advocates are bracing for an influx of patients. Wade threatened: A majority of the Supreme Court is prepared to overturn the right to abortion established nearly 50 years ago in Roe v. Abortion immediately became a focus of the governor’s race this week, with the crowded Democratic field united in promises to protect access to abortion and top Republican contenders divided on their approach. The money is part of the state’s biggest expansion of abortion access in three decades.

Here are answers to questions about what could happen if the landmark ruling is overturned.

Wade is overturned, the average distance that a person seeking an abortion would need to travel to reach a clinic would increase from about 35 miles to 279 miles (56 to 449 kilometers), the Times reported. Pregnant people in states with such restrictions have, in the past, traveled to a permissive state and received the pills by mail there, instead, according to the Times. By one estimate, legal abortions in the country would decline by 14%, according to the Times. That's based on research of the effects of abortion clinic closures, which make it more difficult for patients to receive in-clinic abortions. In one study known as the Turnaway Study, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, analyzed information from 1,000 U.S. women who sought abortions and either received an abortion or were denied an abortion because they were beyond their states' gestational limit. Currently, yes, people can cross state lines to access abortion care in a state that allows it, provided they have the time and resources to do so. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 26 states are certain or likely to ban abortion in the event that Roe v. As of 2021, the agency has allowed people to receive these medications by mail, rather than needing to get them in person from a health provider at a specialized clinic, The New York Times reported. These include 22 states that already have laws in place that make it near-certain that they will ban abortion, including trigger laws, pre-Roe bans on abortion, laws that ban abortion after six weeks (before many people know they are pregnant) and constitutional amendments that prohibit abortion rights. Providers can prescribe the pills and mail them after a telemedicine appointment with the patient. Missouri lawmakers recently proposed legislation that would allow private citizens to sue anyone who helps a state resident have an abortion, whether or not that individual resides in Missouri, Politico reported. If the final opinion mirrors the draft, it would drastically change abortion rights in America. Wade. These include 13 states with "trigger laws" that would immediately make abortion illegal if Roe v.

Pennsylvania's current law on abortion allows for the termination of a pregnancy up to 24 weeks. Nine Republican candidates running for governor and the one ...

I’ll be a pro-life governor," McSwain said in an interview with NBC10. "I will sign legislation to protect the most vulnerable among us: the unborn. "Every day I see the grace of God through the eyes of my son, Brian. Brian may have great special needs, but he has never had a bad day," White said in a statement May 3. ... I would make exceptions for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother." "Every other Republican candidate for Governor will tell you just about the same thing," Hart said in a statement May 3. The businessman and former Delaware County councilman hailed the draft ruling by five members of the U.S. Supreme Court that would overturn Roe v. But he said at a recent gubernatorial debate that he would support exceptions to an abortion ban. "If this turns out to be accurate, it will be a long-awaited victory for unborn children. I will veto it and protect a woman’s right to choose here in Pennsylvania." "But with the construct of the Legislature today, run by Republicans who want to ban abortion, the most important thing I can do – God willing as Pennsylvania’s next governor – is just defend the right that exists today.” We asked how the candidate feels about abortion, whether the candidate would support a ban, and if not, what exceptions would they support. If Pennsylvania voters elect a Democrat to succeed Wolf, a Democrat, proposed abortion legislation by the Republican-controlled Legislature will be vetoed. For a fuller picture on where each of the gubernatorial candidates stand on abortion, NBC10 sent questions to them.

Most abortions will only be legal if performed in the first 15 weeks of a pregnancy. The new law includes exceptions for people whose health is threatened by ...

Most abortions will only be legal if performed in the first 15 weeks of a pregnancy. Those must all be carried to term after 15 weeks under the new law. In Florida, only licensed physicians can prescribe the two-part treatment, and the first pill has to be taken in a clinic or hospital. Yes. The new law does permit abortions after 15 weeks if carrying the pregnancy to term would put the pregnant person’s life at risk or cause irreversible physical impairment. The second medication can be taken at home. They also could decide to wait until the 2023 legislative session. However, as of June 2020, Florida minors are required to have consent from a parent or guardian before terminating a pregnancy. Beginning July 1, Florida will have the state’s strictest ban on abortions in the post Roe v. The new law includes exceptions for people whose health is threatened by the pregnancy or if their baby has a “fatal fetal abnormality.” Florida’s law was based on the Mississippi law that is the subject of the leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft decision published by Politico. However, state law allows third-trimester abortions in cases in which the pregnant person’s life could be at risk, or in which the pregnant person risks “irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.” Florida law allows abortion until the third trimester — about 24 weeks of pregnancy. But Florida’s own abortion laws will soon change, regardless of what the nation’s highest court does.

In the Rio Grande Valley, women seeking abortions navigate the complex challenges of religion, culture and a new Texas law.

The woman nodded, signaling she understood before signing a form stating that she had walked into the clinic of her “own free will.” But she could not shake her nervousness. “After that, between an hour to two hours, you are going to start expelling the pregnancy out.” she went on. Many of the region’s churches and centers open their doors to women who may be considering an abortion and offer counseling and support for those who have terminated their pregnancies. Since passage of the abortion law in September, the number of people seeking consultation at the clinic — on an average day, about 20 to 40 — has not shrunk, Dr. Cushing said. Dr. Cushing said the materials she was required to discuss with her patients were intended “to try to mislead and scare women.” The woman has a 1-year-old and 5-year-old, works at a low-wage job during the day and attends classes online. Another health worker, who began working at the clinic three months ago, said she sometimes shared with her patients that she had an abortion at the age of 18 when she was 10 weeks pregnant. She said she had initially worried about the Texas law that took effect Sept. 1 — a model now being adopted in other conservative states — that deputizes civilians to file lawsuits against any doctor who performs an abortion after fetal cardiac activity, about six weeks of pregnancy. “I didn’t want to be arrested too,” she said. In the waiting room, where most of the women avoided looking at one another, she fretted. “You know, in our culture, being Mexican, it is not really supported,” the woman said. The reminder that some early-term abortions remain legal in Texas comes as the state’s remaining clinics navigate a recent law that threatens punitive lawsuits for anyone aiding abortions beyond about six weeks of pregnancy.

Gov. Eric Holcomb says a special session to focus on new abortion legislation is "on the table" if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

A Weld County Commissioner Lori Saine is preparing to introduce the 'human life sanctuary' measure. It's the latest challenge to a new abortion law passed ...

You want to know what is really going on these days, especially in Colorado. We can help you keep up. Abortion rights supporters, including many Democratic lawmakers, have vowed to protect access in Colorado even if the Roe ruling falls. And state health insurance can not pay for abortions unless the woman’s life is at risk. Saine said the new resolution carries more weight. “We need to put a countywide setback on murdering children in place. Saine has long been a supporter of pro-life initiatives across the state.

Oregon and Washington are known for liberal and robust legal frameworks protecting the right to abortion with few restrictions, but advocates on both sides ...

“That’s the proper place for us to be discussing and making decisions about these laws.” In 2014, 63 percent of Oregon adults said they thought abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to polling done by the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan think tank. The increase for Washington could be 100%. A new unrestricted fund for reproductive health equity in Oregon sets aside $15 million to cover costs for abortion providers and patients without insurance coverage or traveling from out of state. “The same people who are worried about losing access to something, have no idea that it’s something that I’ve never had access to,” Broduer said into a megaphone. A significant minority in both states still believe that abortion is wrong and should be entirely prohibited. “And so we have deserts of access in the state of Oregon, because there often are monopolies [where a] religiously affiliated hospital owns all of the other smaller clinics in town,” Allen said. Both states are already destinations for people from more restrictive states who have access to all the resources needed to travel to receive abortion care. In the same poll, 60% of Washingtonians surveyed said abolition should be legal in all or most cases. Oregon state law, updated in 2017, allows for late-term abortion, requires private medical insurance and state Medicaid to cover abortion, and codifies the right to gender-affirming care, among other protections. Access to reproductive care in Washington is similarly broad and guaranteed by law. “But that becomes largely unnecessary if the state legislative commitments continue to remain on the books.” But in the Pacific Northwest, the decision, even if it becomes law, will make little difference to abortion access.