Washington, D.C. — Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court’s egregious decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the pace of new state legislation on abortion has been swift. A new report by the Center for American Progress analyzes trends in state abortion laws across the country. This report examines states pushing to restrict and ban access to abortion, as well as states that are passing legislation to protect access to abortion.
Currently, 14 states have in effect abortion bans during any point in pregnancy, and six states have implemented abortion bans from 6 to 20 weeks. This report dives into how states actively working to restrict and ban abortion are doing so through criminal penalties, bounty hunter provisions, and fearmongering. In fact, this report finds that states with abortion bans overwhelmingly contain criminal penalties for those who perform or attempt to perform an abortion, with punishments ranging from one year to life in prison and fines ranging from $1,000 to $100,000.
While some states have prioritized restricting and banning abortion over the past year, others are fighting to protect and expand access. Some of the trends outlined in the report include how states are enshrining abortion protections through ballot initiatives, passing shield laws to prevent providers and patients from being prosecuted by states that criminalize abortion, and expanding funding to make abortions more affordable.
“This past year has made one thing clear—abortion access continues to be piecemeal and patchwork across the United States, and it’s causing chaos and confusion for millions of people. The alarming trends we’re seeing from states that have banned abortion threaten access to reproductive care and economic security. These trends should be frightening to everyone. State policymakers must step up and pass legislation to protect abortion access,” said Becca Damante, senior policy analyst for the Women’s Initiative at CAP and co-author of the report.
“The fight for abortion rights is far from over, and it affects everyone. We must continue to fight at the state level to protect abortion access and push back against extremist abortion bans that only harm people’s health, well-being, and economic security,” said Kierra B. Jones, policy analyst for the Women’s Initiative and co-author of the report.
Read the report: “A Year After the Supreme Court Overturned Roe v. Wade, Trends in State Abortion Laws Have Emerged” by Becca Damante and Kierra B. Jones
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Sarah Nadeau at [email protected].