Two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the decision. Roe vs. WadeIt is a legal decision that protects abortion rights. Since then, abortion bans have been enacted in several states, leaving millions of people in the United States without access to local clinics.
Now, some states are voting to expand and protect access to abortion. This week, seven states voted in support of such a measure. And voters in Missouri, a state that has long restricted access, voted to overturn the ban.
For reproductive rights advocates, this isn’t all good news. Some states voted against abortion access. And questions remain about the impact of a second term for former President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to return in January.
Roe vs. WadeThe 1973 legal ruling in the United States that enshrined the right to abortion in the Constitution guaranteed the right to abortion up to the viability of the fetus, which is generally considered to be around 24 weeks of pregnancy. This decision was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in the summer of 2022.
In the 100 days since the decision was made, 13 states have passed laws to completely ban abortion from the moment of conception. Clinics in these states can no longer provide abortions. Other states have also restricted abortion access. Over a 100-day period, 66 of 79 clinics in 15 states stopped providing abortion services, and 26 closed completely, according to a study by the Guttmacher Institute.
The political backlash against this decision was strong. This week, abortion was on the ballot in 10 states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota. And seven of them voted in support of abortion access.
The impact of these votes varies from state to state. For example, abortion is already legal in Maryland. But the new measures will make it more difficult for lawmakers to restrict reproductive rights in the future. In Arizona, abortions after 15 weeks will be banned starting in 2022. There, voters approved a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing access to abortion until the fetus is viable.
Missouri was the first state to enact an abortion ban. Roe vs. Wade Overturned. The state’s current fetal right to life law prohibits doctors from performing abortions unless it is a medical emergency. There are no exceptions for rape or incest. This week the state voted to overturn the ban and protect access to abortion up to fetal viability.
