An interesting summary research by Reuters gives us a picture of the situation, which, let us remember, is in great flux.
States that have passed or are in the process of implementing pro-life policies for the conceived child and the mother are: Florida, where Republican lawmakers are considering a ban on abortion at six weeks, which provides exceptions for rape and incest; meanwhile, a 15-week ban is in effect that is being challenged in court; in Kansas the Republican-led Senate has approved a ban on prescribing abortion pills via telemedicine; in the coming weeks the proposal will be debated in the House; in Idaho, lawmakers have introduced a bill that would make illegal to help a minor obtain an abortion without the permission of a parent or guardian. Violators would face two to five years in prison. The Republican-led state is currently implementing a total ban on abortion.
In Montana, the Republican-led state Senate passed a bill that seeks to overturn a 1999 state Supreme Court ruling saying that the state Constitution protects the right to abortion. In March, the House passed a bill aimed at banning abortion after 12 weeks and is also considering a bill that would limit access to abortion for Medicaid patients; in Nebraska Republicans introduced a six-week abortion ban; abortion is currently legal in the state up to 22 weeks. In North Dakota in March the state Supreme Court stayed an order blocking enforcement of a law banning abortion that went into effect after Roe was overturned, and now lawsuits are pending.
In South Carolina, despite the fact that the state Supreme Court recently struck down the six-week abortion ban by a vote of 3 to 2, Republicans put forward a nearly complete abortion ban and a six-week ban this year. Both bills passed in one chamber: the Senate passed the six-week ban with some exceptions, and the House passed the almost complete ban. Although abortion is completely banned in Texas, with very limited exceptions, Republican state representatives have introduced a bill that would force Internet providers to block websites that provide abortion pills or information on how to obtain an abortion. In Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed a law banning the licensing of abortion clinics. Currently in Utah abortion is banned after 18 weeks. Recently in Wyoming the Republican-led legislature passed a bill banning the use or prescription of pharmacological abortion pills the bill. Abortion is legal up to viability, about 24 weeks, while a state court is reviewing the almost complete ban. Finally in West Virginia, Republican senators have introduced a bill to remove rape and incest exceptions from the state’s current near-total abortion ban.
On the other hand, in states controlled by Democratic governors or majorities the climate for mothers and conceived children is unbearable, particularly in California, one of the most permissive states, where a Democratic senator has introduced a bill to protect doctors who prescribe abortion pills to patients from other states. In Michigan, the Democrat-led House passed a measure in March repealing parts of a 1931 law that criminalized abortion and is still considering bills to repeal other sections of the old law. Michigan’s Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer is a supporter of “abortion rights”. This January in Illinois, another Democratic governor J.B. Pritzker has signed a law protecting out-of-state abortion providers and patients from legal attacks from other states, while in Minnesota, Democratic Governor Tim Walz signed into law a bill passed by the new Democratic majority of the Minnesota legislature that codifies abortion “rights” into state law, as well as the right to contraception and fertility treatment. House Democrats have introduced a bill to protect abortion providers and patients from legal attacks from other states. Finally in Ohio, in March the attorney general certified a petition to place on the November 2023 referendum ballot a constitutional amendment that would affirm the “right” to abortion. The election proposal will then go to the Ohio Election Commission for review.
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