Abortion bans get even more extreme

Alabama was among the first states to pass the most restrictive and unconstitutional legislation on abortion in the country –a direct challenge to Roe that Governor Kay Ivey signed into law on May 15th. The state, recently ranked 46th in the nation for the health of women and children and facing rising maternal mortality rates, just placed an outright ban on abortion with extremely limited exceptions that fail to include victims of rape or incest. 

Alabama was quickly followed by states such as Louisiana and Missouri with strict anti-abortion laws. Alabama is among nine states this year to limit when women are able to access abortion in violation of Roe v. Wade. The week before, Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp, signed a 6-week abortion ban into law – denying abortion at a point so early in pregnancy that most people wouldn’t even know they were pregnant. Four other states, Ohio, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kentucky have passed similar laws.

None of these abortion bans are in effect – yet

An important note for the women and girls of these nine states: none of the bans are yet in effect and most are being challenged in court. Activists and pro-choice legislators are fighting back, and women of color are at the helm. Many local organizations continue to fight on the ground and need your support as they push for reproductive rights. Furthermore, while other states are moving back in time (or toward a dystopian Handmaid’s Tale future), New York has firmly placed the protections of Roe into our state law. But don’t be fooled. The anti-choice misinformation campaign is strong – and we must ensure that the public gets the facts about the Reproductive Health Act.

Last updated July 9, 2019