|
Help |
Site Map
|
Health, Fitness and Style
AS OF APRIL 4, 2022
Background
Changes to the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 raise the possibility that Roe v. Wade could be severely undermined — or even overturned — essentially leaving the legality of abortion to individual states. A reversal of Roe could establish a legal path for states’ pre-1973 abortion bans, as well as currently unenforced post-1973 bans, to take effect.
Many state lawmakers continue to consider and enact abortion bans that fly in the face of constitutional standards and Roe’s precedent in anticipation of an eventual lawsuit on such a ban coming before a Supreme Court hostile to abortion rights.
Some bans prohibit abortion under all or nearly all circumstances, a tactic widely viewed as an attempt to provoke a legal challenge to Roe. Several of this type of ban that were passed by states have been blocked by court orders and would require further court action to be enforced.
Other bans enacted after Roe are designed to be “triggered” and take effect automatically or by swift state action if Roe is overturned. Several states even have laws declaring the state’s intent to ban abortion to whatever extent is permitted by the U.S. Constitution, making their desire to halt abortion access in the state clear. A few states have amended their constitution to declare that it does not contain any protection for abortion rights or allow public funds to be used for abortion.
Meanwhile, policymakers in some states have approved laws to protect abortion rights without relying on the Roe decision. Most of these policies prohibit the state from interfering with the right to obtain an abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person.
Visit our state legislation tracker for policy activity on all sexual and reproductive health topics.
Highlights
- 23 states have laws that could be used to restrict the legal status of abortion.
- 9 states retain their unenforced, pre-Roe abortion bans.
- 13 states have post-Roe laws to ban all or nearly all abortions that would be triggered if Roe were overturned.
- 9 states have unconstitutional post-Roe restrictions that are currently blocked by courts but could be brought back into effect with a court order in Roe’s absence.
- 7 states have laws that express the intent to restrict the right to legal abortion to the maximum extent permitted by the U.S. Supreme Court in the absence of Roe.
- 4 states have passed a constitutional amendment explicitly declaring that their constitution does not secure or protect the right to abortion or allow use of public funds for abortion.
- 16 states and the District of Columbia have laws that protect the right to abortion.
- 4 states and the District of Columbia have codified the right to abortion throughout pregnancy without state interference.
- 12 states explicitly permit abortion prior to viability or when necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person.
Printer-friendly version
TOPIC
GEOGRAPHY
- Northern America: United States
- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Related Content
Guttmacher Policy Review
*State Policy Resources: The Guttmacher Institute monitors and analyzes state policy developments—including legislative, judicial and executive actions — on a broad range of issues related to sexual and reproductive health and rights. These resources, on such issues as access to and availability of abortion, contraceptive services and sex education, are updated regularly to provide a comprehensive picture of the state policy landscape.
"Deep sleep, also known as non-REM slow-wave sleep, can act as a “cognitive reserve factor” that may increase resilience against a protein in the brain called beta-amyloid that is linked to memory loss caused by dementia. Disrupted sleep has previously been associated with faster accumulation of beta-amyloid protein in the brain. However, the new research from a team at UC Berkeley reveals that superior amounts of deep, slow-wave sleep can act as a protective factor against memory decline in those with existing high amounts of Alzheimer’s disease pathology — a potentially significant advance that experts say could help alleviate some of dementia’s most devastating outcomes." more »
Government Accountability Office: "Antibiotic-resistant infections can be difficult or impossible to treat. This testimony covers our work on federal efforts to address the following challenges: Surveillance: CDC doesn't have enough data on antibiotic-resistant infections in health care settings: Diagnostics: More studies are needed to help develop and promote the use of tests to diagnose resistance: New treatments: The pipeline of new antibiotics is inadequate and not fully federally incentivized; Antibiotic use: Federal antibiotic-use requirements only apply to hospitals and nursing homes; We also describe actions federal agencies have taken to address our prior recommendations." more »
A bill to increase the age of eligibility for children to receive benefits under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, and for other purposes; a grant program to address the crises in accessing affordable housing and child care through the co-location of housing and child care; A bill to require hygienic handling of breast milk and baby formula by security screening personnel of the Transportation Security Administration; A bill to direct the Attorney General, in coordination with the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, to study the prevalence and instances of human trafficking at adult entertainment clubs in the US; A bill to provide grants to address maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders, and for other purposes; A bill to increase vaccination rates of pregnant and postpartum individuals. more »
A bill to establish a universal child assistance program, and for other purposes. A bill to establish a Commission on Men's and Women's Fairness in College Sports; A bill to permit leave to care for an adult child, grandchild, or grandparent who has a serious health condition.
Bringing women policymakers together across party lines to advance
issues of importance to women and their families.… more »
|
Senior Women Health & Nutrition:
Even healthy diets might not
give your body all of the vitamins and
minerals it needs every day. When women
experience iron deficiency
anemia, the
side-effects can be damaging. If you are
experiencing fatigue, weakness or even
irregular heartbeats, don't just blame old
age! Consult with your doctor about getting
your iron levels checked.
|
