August 25, 2022
Why was reversing Roe v. Wade such a big deal, you ask? Not only did it end a great injustice for the 63 million preborn babies who fell victim to the fatal ruling, but it paved the way for states to pass their own laws when it comes to the issue of abortion.
Roe was a roadblock that stopped states from protecting life in law, but we’re thrilled to see in a post-Roe America 15 states have already enacted changes to protect the preborn with more on the way. Some of these laws are days away from going into effect.
A term you need to know before jumping in is “trigger” laws. This abortion lobby buzzword, adored by the media, simply means a law was unenforceable until something changed and thereafter could go into effect. (That something that changed was Roe!)
Students for Life Action (SFLAction) rightfully refers to these as life-saving laws. Several states had life-saving laws on the books that were nullified thanks to the unconstitutional Supreme Court ruling, but when rights were restored to the states many life-saving laws prohibiting abortion went into effect or will be soon.
Here is where life is being protected best right now:
- Arkansas: prohibits almost all elective abortions, with an exception for saving the life of the mother. Makes performing or attempting to perform an abortion punishable up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to $100,000.
- Arizona: prohibits elective abortion with the exception of saving the life of a mother.
- Alabama: prohibits elective abortion with the exception of saving the life of a mother or deadly fetal anomalies.
- Idaho: prohibits elective abortion with the exception of saving the life of a mother, rape, or incest. Providing an abortion is punishable by up to five years in prison.
- Kentucky: prohibits elective abortions with the exception of saving the life of the mother and charges abortionists with a felony.
- Louisiana: bans anyone from performing an abortion or providing Chemical Abortion pills with life of the mother exception.
- Mississippi: prohibits elective abortion with the exception of saving the life of a mother or rape.
- Missouri: made it a felony to perform an abortion except in the event of saving the life of a mother.
- North Dakota: performing an abortion is a felony unless it is done to save the life of a mother, rape, or incest.
- Oklahoma: abortion is illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a $100,000 fine, except for done to save the life of a mother.
- South Dakota: prohibits all elective abortions, including Chemical Abortion, with the exception of saving the life of the mother.
- Tennessee: prohibits elective abortions with the exception of saving the life of a mother.
- Texas: prohibits all elective abortions with the exception of saving the life of a mother.
- Utah: prohibits elective abortions with exceptions for life of the mother, cases of rape or incest, or “the possibility of severe birth defects.”
- West Virginia: prohibits elective abortions with the exception of saving the life of a mother.
- Wyoming: prohibits elective abortions with the exception of rape, incest, or saving the life of the mother.
- Indiana: prohibits elective abortions with the exception of saving the life of the mother, fetal anomaly, rape, or incest.
Notably, Georgia, Iowa, South Carolina, and Ohio have Heartbill Laws that help protect the preborn!
Since living in a post-Roe America for only two months, SFLAction is encouraged to see states boldly protect life in law as we mobilize across the nation to equip even more legislators on how to pass life-saving laws.
(CLICK HERE to examine states facing pushback, meaning they are working to uphold life-saving legislation but it’s a battle against the radical abortion lobby. We’re actively monitoring updates in states like Michigan and West Virginia, too!)
READ NEXT: Students for Life Action’s Post-Roe State Legislative Strategy