Reproductive Rights Legislation

Reproductive Rights Key Legislation – 2024

• New Hampshire House Republicans Prefiled Legislation To Introduce A 15-Day Abortion Ban. [HuffPost, 12/7/23]

• • The Bill Was Blocked In The House. [New Hampshire Bulletin, 2/1/24] 

• New Hampshire House Democrats Announced Plans To Pass A Constitutional Amendment Protecting The Right To An Abortion. [WMUR, 12/11/23]  

• Virginia Democratic Lawmakers Passed Bills To Establish A Right To Contraception. [Associated Press, 2/15/24] [Virginia General Assembly, HB 609, final passage 2/28/24]  [Virginia General Assembly, SB 237, final passage 2/27/24]

• Republican Legislators In Kansas Introduced A Near-Total Abortion Ban That Would Also Allow Private Citizens To Bring Legal Action Against Anyone Who Helps Someone Obtain An Abortion. [Kansas Legislature, 2023-2024 Legislative Session, HB2492, introduced 1/10/24; Kansas Reflector, 1/11/24]

• Democratic Legislators In Kentucky Introduced “Hadley’s Law” To Allow Victims Of Rape And Incest To Access Abortion Care In The State. [Lexington Herald Leader, 1/10/24]

• Maine Democratic Legislators Plan To Push For A Constitutional Amendment To Protect Abortion Rights In The State. [Portland Press Herald, 1/10/24]

• Republican Legislators In Missouri Introduced Legislation To Allow Homicide Charges Against Those Who Obtain Abortions. [AP, 12/8/23]

• Republican Legislators In Florida Are Pushing Legislation Revising The State’s Wrongful Death Laws To Allow Individuals To Sue Doctors, And Others, Who Assist Someone With Obtaining An Abortion. [Rolling Stone, 1/5/24]

• Republican Legislators In Florida Filed Legislation That Would Further Restrict Abortion Beyond The Previously Passed 6-Week Ban, Effectively Banning All Abortions In The State, With No Exceptions For Rape Or Incest. [Orlando Weekly, 1/10/24]

• Senate Republicans In Kansas Introduced A Bill That Would Redefine Unborn Fetuses As Children.  [Kansas Legislature, 2023-2024 Legislative Session, SB 425, introduced 1/30/24; Kansas Reflector, 2/12/24]

Reproductive Rights Key Legislation – 2023

Alabama

• A Democratic Senator Introduced Legislation To Add Exceptions For Rape And Incest To The State’s Abortion Ban. “Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, filed legislation last week to allow exemptions for rape and incest. Similar legislation is planned in the Alabama House of Representatives to repeal the ban or add exemptions. But Republicans hold lopsided majorities in both chambers, meaning the bills are doomed without garnering some GOP support. Figures told The Associated Press in a statement that a victim of rape and incest would again be traumatized “if she does not have a choice and she is forced to have a child that was fathered by a rapist or a family member via an incestuous act.” [Associated Press, 3/15/23; Alabama Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, SB 35, introduced 3/7/23]

• • The Bill Did Not Pass Before The End Of Session. [Alabama Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, SB 35, introduced 3/7/23]

• Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, Introduced Legislation That Could Charge Women Who Get An Abortion With Assault Or Murder. “A newly proposed bill could lead to women who get abortions, to face a murder and assault charge in certain situations. Alabama’s current abortion ban focuses on the physician providing the abortion and not the mother. House Bill 454, also called the Equal Protection Act would change that. Bill sponsor Representative Ernie Yarbrough believes this bill is essential to give the unborn their rights. ‘We believe that nobody should be able, including the parents, nobody shouldn’t be able to take away the life of a baby without due process and equal protection, because that child is a person,’ said Rep. Yarbrough.” [WAFF48, 5/10/23; Alabama Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, HB 454, introduced 5/9/23]

• • The Bill Did Not Pass Before The End Of Session. [Alabama Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, HB 454, introduced 5/9/23]

Arizona

• Legislation To Provide Protections For Pregnant Prisoners, Including Banning Forced Labor, Guaranteeing Prenatal Care, Providing Hygiene Products, And Banning Strip Searches By Someone Of The Opposite Gender Was Introduced By Democratic Lawmakers In Both Chambers. “Senator Eva Burch stated, ‘Delivering a baby is a significant medical event that should be directed first and foremost by the wishes and needs of the pregnant individual. The safety and success of the birthing process depends heavily on the stability and comfort of the mother. It is unacceptable that our prison system is endangering the life of pregnant inmates by inducing them without their consent. My priority will be to ensure that our policy decisions provide every Arizonan, incarcerated or not, the highest level of professional and humane medical care.’” [KYMA, 2/8/23; Arizona Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, HB 2639, introduced 2/7/23]

• A Bill Criminalizing Abortion, Up To And Including Charging The Person With First Degree Murder Was Introduced In The AZ House. [Arizona Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, HB 2706, introduced 2/7/23]

• House Republicans Have Introduced Several Bills That Critics Say Could Add Fetal Personhood Into State Law. “In August, Republicans in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate introduced bills similar to Gress’, at the urging of anti-abortion groups. Sponsors of those proposals have said their goal is to sharply curtail abortion rights. Three of Gress’s bills are still moving forward and have the potential to be approved by the legislature, although they will likely be vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs, a pro-choice Democrat.” [AZ Mirror, 3/1/23]

• • Gov. Hobbs Vetoed Two Of The Bills, HB 2502 & HB 2427, Sponsored By Republican Representative Matt Gress. “Gress acknowledged he had not spoken with domestic violence advocacy organizations — other than the anti-abortion Center for Arizona Policy. Marilyn Rodriguez, representing the Arizona Coalition to End Domestic Violence, testified against the bill. The legislation also drew opposition from Planned Parenthood. There was concern the bill could be seen as a way to try to grant separate legal status to an unborn child, which could undermine abortion rights. Heightening the group’s concern is that this isn’t Gress’ only such effort. He is sponsoring several measures that could have the same impact.” [Tucson.com, 4/3/23; Arizona Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, HB 2502, Vetoed 5/19/23; Arizona Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, HB 2427, Vetoed 4/3/23]

• Democratic Lawmakers Are Planning To Introduce The Right To Contraception Act. “Days prior to the first anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned, Gov. Katie Hobbs and Rep. Athena Salman, D-Tempe, announced plans to introduce Arizona’s Right to Contraception Act during the next legislative session. The bill would codify birth-control access for all Arizonans. During a news conference last week, Salman said ‘enough is enough,’ because contraception is what she called ‘central to a person’s privacy, health and well-being.’ ‘At this historic juncture, my constituents and Arizonans in every single corner of the state are fortunate that this legislation has unequivocal support by our governor, Katie Hobbs,’ Salman stated. Salman noted while the piece of legislation has not yet been drafted, it will mirror recent federal legislation, which also aims to guarantee access to birth control regardless of Supreme Court rulings in the future.” [St. George News, 6/28/23]

Arkansas

• An Arkansas House Committee Voted Down A Bill Brought By Rep. Nicole Clowney (D, HD-21) That Would Provide Exceptions To The State’s Abortion Ban For Lethal Fetal Abnormalities. “An Arkansas House of Representatives committee voted down a bill Tuesday that would add exceptions to the state’s abortion ban for lethal fetal abnormalities. Currently Arkansas’ ban on abortion only has an expectation for medical emergency to save the life of the mother. House Bill 1301 would add the exception “in the case of a fetal abnormality incompatible with life.” The House Committee in Public Health, Welfare and Labor voted down the bill on a voice vote. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Nicole Clowney, D-Fayetteville, said the additional exception would give pregnant women “a narrow, but critical exception to our state’s total abortion ban.” [Arkansas Online, 3/7/23]

California

• The Legislature Allocated $20 Million Toward Enhancing Abortion Clinics’ Physical And Digital Security. “…California’s Office of Emergency Services said that this is the first time that his department has made funds available for any abortion care facilities who receive threats.” [Kion 46, 1/29/23]

Colorado

• Republican Lawmakers Introduced 3 Anti-Abortion Bills In Colorado. “A Colorado House committee listened to hours of testimony Friday on three bills that aimed to limit abortions in the state. The first would have required abortion providers to administer painkillers during abortions if the fetus has reached 20-weeks of gestation with certain exemptions. The bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Luck, R-Penrose, faced two forms of opposition Friday. Colorado Democrats look to further enshrine abortion access into law The first came from those who oppose abortions altogether and who argue this could further encourage abortions. The other form of opposition came from those who support abortion access, who said this would add significant dangers to the pregnant person and could limit abortions if providers are not able to administer the painkillers in utero. A second bill aimed to abolish abortions altogether in Colorado by defining an unborn child at all stages of gestation as a person. It would have also added homicide and assault provisions into state law for providing an abortion, and authorized the state to disregard any federal court decision to void that requirement. A third bill would have required information on abortion pill reversals to be prepared by the state and provided by clinicians to patients. The bill stipulated that the information must be provided within 24 hours before a clinician administers an abortion and levies civil penalties against those who refuse.” [Denver 7, 2/17/23] 

• • All Three Anti-Abortion Measures Failed Along Party Line Votes. “Three Republican anti-abortion bills died at the Colorado Legislature during a committee hearing Friday. One of the bills would have abolished abortion altogether. […] Testimony during a hearing before the House Health & Insurance Committee began with Rep. Stephanie Luck, a Penrose Republican and the sole sponsor of House Bill 23-1097, which would require a health care provider who performs an abortion on a fetus 20 weeks gestational age or older to administer a painkiller to the fetus prior to an abortion, with exceptions if the pregnant person is allergic to anesthetics.[…] The bill failed the committee by a vote of 8-3, with all three Republicans voting ‘yes.’[…] House Bill 23-1119, which would ban abortion across the state of Colorado, and House Bill 23-1150, which would require physicians and other medical professionals that administer abortions to provide state-prepared information about how to reverse the effects of an abortion pill, were both sponsored by Rep. Scott Bottoms, a Colorado Springs Republican.[…] Both of Bottoms’ bills failed in committee, with an 8-3 vote along party lines.’” [Colorado Newsline, 2/18/23] 

• Democratic Lawmakers In Colorado Are Planning To Introduce 3 Bills To Further Enshrine Abortion Access, Including Expanding Privacy Protections And Requiring Insurance To Cover Reproductive Care. “Meanwhile, after passing the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) last year, Democrats are planning on introducing three more bills this year to further enshrine abortion access into law. The first will codify protections and privacy for abortion providers as well as their patients, regardless of whether they came from out of state. It will also offer the same protections for gender-affirming care. The bill aims to protect patients and providers from any lawsuits or criminal charges stemming from those services. A second bill would require commercial insurers to cover abortions, as well as treatments for sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV prevention. A third bill would put more rules in place around crisis pregnancy centers that are aimed at dissuading women away from getting an abortion.” [Denver 7, 2/17/23] 

Delaware

• House Democrats Introduced Legislation To Require Insurers, Including Medicaid, To Cover Abortion Services. “Despite Delaware codifying abortion access, it still remains difficult for people to actually get an abortion in the First State. One reason is because of the Medicaid barrier: Medicaid, which insures about 16% of women ages 19-64 in this state, covers the cost of an abortion only in cases of rape, incest or life endangerment. Abortions can cost upward of $715. House Majority Whip Melissa Minor-Brown, a Democrat from New Castle, recently introduced legislation that would require insurers, including Medicaid, to provide coverage for the termination of a pregnancy. There would be no copay, deductible or cost-sharing requirement.” [Delaware Online, 4/3/23]

• • The Bill Did Not Pass Before The End Of Session. [Delaware General Assembly, 152nd General Assembly, HB 110, introduced 3/31/23]

Florida

• Republicans Are Set To Introduce A 6-Week Abortion Ban Which Governor DeSantis Is Expected To Sign Into Law. “Florida Republicans, who hold supermajorities in the Legislature, proposed a ban last week on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy — or two weeks after someone misses their period — and with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ support, passage is almost guaranteed.’ [Politico, 3/12/23]

• • Gov. DeSantis Signed The 6 Week Abortion Ban Into Law. “Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill approved by the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. […] The policy would have wider implications for abortion access throughout the South in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last year overturning Roe v. Wade and leaving decisions about abortion access to states. Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi have banned abortion at all stages of pregnancy, while Georgia forbids the procedure after cardiac activity can be detected, which is around six weeks.” [AP, 4/14/23]

Georgia

• Democratic Legislators Introduced Bills To Repeal The State’s Anti-Abortion Restrictions And Expand Access To The Procedure. “Georgia Democrats plan to file legislation Tuesday to repeal the state’s anti-abortion restrictions and expand access to the procedure. The Reproductive Freedom Act will be introduced by state Reps. Shea Roberts and Kim Schofield, both Atlanta Democrats. But it won’t gain any traction in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Roberts, who has shared a deeply personal story about seeking an abortion 15 years ago, said legislators should be discussing ways to help more women access abortions rather than restricting them. The proposal expands the group of health care professionals who can provide abortion care and allows more insurance plans to cover the procedure.” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1/24/23]

• • The Bills Were HB 75 And SB 15. [HB 75, 2023 Legislative Session, introduced 1/24/23] [SB 15, 2023 Legislative Session, introduced 1/24/23]

• • HB 75 And SB 15 Both Failed To Advance. [HB 75, 2023 Legislative Session, accessed 3/10/23] [SB 15, 2023 Legislative Session, introduced 3/10/23]

• • The Legislation Would Repeal The State’s Anti-Abortion Restrictions And Expand Access To The Procedure. “Georgia Democrats plan to file legislation Tuesday to repeal the state’s anti-abortion restrictions and expand access to the procedure. The Reproductive Freedom Act will be introduced by state Reps. Shea Roberts and Kim Schofield, both Atlanta Democrats. But it won’t gain any traction in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Roberts, who has shared a deeply personal story about seeking an abortion 15 years ago, said legislators should be discussing ways to help more women access abortions rather than restricting them. The proposal expands the group of health care professionals who can provide abortion care and allows more insurance plans to cover the procedure.” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1/24/23]

• Republicans In The Georgia Legislature Introduced HB 496. [HB 496, 2023 Legislative Session, introduced 2/21/23]

• • HB 496 Would Classify Abortion As Homicide. “Georgia Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill that would classify abortion as a homicide, despite their own constituents’ widespread opposition to banning the procedure. The bill, introduced Thursday, would classify a human as an ‘unborn child at every stage of development from fertilization until birth.’ As a result, terminating a pregnancy could be considered and prosecuted as a homicide. Writer Jessica Valenti noted that since the bill says life begins at fertilization, people who use IUDs or emergency contraception—both of which prevent fertilized eggs from implanting—could be charged with murder.” [The New Republic, 2/24/23]

• • The Bill Did Not Pass Before The End Of Session. [HB 496, 2023 Legislative Session, introduced 2/21/23]

Idaho

• Republican Lawmakers Passed A Bill That Would Criminally Charge Anyone Who Aids Pregnant Minors In Obtaining An Abortion Across State Lines. “If convicted, the penalty could be two to five years in prison under the bill passed by the Idaho Senate Thursday. Neighboring Oregon, Montana, Washington and Wyoming currently allow abortions with varying levels of restrictions. Republican State Sen. Scott Herndon supported the bill, but wanted it to go further. ‘Neither a parent nor a guardian should be allowed protection from trafficking a minor for purposes of an abortion outside the state,’ Herndon said Thursday.” [NPR, 3/30/23]

• • Gov. Brad Little Signed The Bill Into Law, Making Idaho The First State To Ban Minors Crossing State Lines To Recieve An Abortion. “Idaho has become the first state to pass a law explicitly restricting some out-of-state travel for abortions. The new legislation makes helping a pregnant minor get an abortion, whether through medication or a procedure, in another state punishable by two to five years in prison. Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, signed the bill on Wednesday night, and it goes into effect after 30 days.” [NBC News, 4/6/23]

Illinois

• Illinois Enacted A New Law To Protect Abortion Patients and Providers. [NBC Chicago, 1/13/23]

Iowa

• Republican Lawmakers Passed Legislation Banning Most Abortions After 6 Weeks. “Iowa’s Republican-led Legislature passed a bill banning most abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy during a marathon special session Tuesday that continued late into the night. Gov. Kim Reynolds immediately said in a statement she would sign the bill on Friday. The bill passed with exclusively Republican support in a rare, one-day legislative burst lasting more than 14 hours over the vocal — and sometimes tense — objections from Democratic lawmakers and abortion advocates protesting at the Capitol.” [PBS, 7/12/23]

• • Gov. Reynolds Signed The Bill Into Law. [Iowa Legislature, 2023 Session, HF 732, Signed by Governor 7/14/23]

• • The Ban Is Temporarily Blocked By A Judge. “An Iowa judge on Monday temporarily blocked the state’s new ban on most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, just days after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the measure into law. That means abortion is once again legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy while the courts assess the new law’s constitutionality. The new law prohibits almost all abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant. The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the measure in a rare, all-day special session last week, prompting a legal challenge by the ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Emma Goldman Clinic.” [AP, 7/17/23]

Kansas

• Republican Lawmakers Passed Legislation To Protect Infants “Born Alive” During Abortion Procedures, Something Which Experts Dismissed As Not Happening In Modern Abortion Care. “Earlier this month, Rep. Ron Bryce, a Coffeyville Republican, told the Kansas House colleagues he once responded to a code blue where he found a crying infant that had survived an abortion. It was the late 1980s and Bryce was a medical resident in Fort Worth, Texas. The infant, Bryce said, wasn’t receiving care so he transferred him to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. The infant died from “irreversible brain damage he had sustained due to lack of oxygen.” “Abortion takes the life of a child but what if the baby’s too tough to die quickly,” Bryce testified to the House Health and Human Services Committee. The experience, Bryce said, drew him to support a bill that requires physicians to provide the same care they would give to a newborn of the same gestational age if an infant is “born alive” during an abortion. If they don’t, they could face criminal penalties. But Bryce’s decades-old story describes a circumstance that the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and other experts say does not happen in modern abortion care.” [Kansas City Star, 3/21/23]

• • Gov. Kelly Vetoed The Bill. “In a statement on her website, Kelly, a Democrat, called the legislation ‘misleading and unnecessary.’ The legislation could have subjected doctors to lawsuits and criminal charges in certain kinds of abortions and in circumstances when doctors induce labor to deliver a fetus that is expected to die within minutes or even seconds outside the womb. Kelly vetoed a similar bill in 2019. ‘Federal law already protects newborns, and the procedure being described in this bill does not exist in Kansas in the era of modern medicine,’ Kelly said Friday. ‘The intent of this bill is to interfere in medical decisions that should remain between doctors and their patients.’” [PBS, 4/14/23]

• • Gov. Kelly Vetoed A Second Bill That Would Have Put Restrictions On Abortion Care. “Kansas’ governor has vetoed legislation that would mandate clinics to tell patients that a medication abortion can be interrupted using an unproven drug regimen. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the bill Wednesday, again pushing back state GOP efforts to restrict abortion despite a decisive statewide vote affirming abortion rights last year.” [PBS, 4/19/23]

Kentucky

• A Republican Lawmaker Introduced Legislation To Classify Abortion As A Homicide. “A Republican lawmaker from Louisville has proposed legislation that would let the state prosecute a person for criminal homicide if they get an illegal abortion. State Rep. Emily Callaway, who defeated former Democratic Rep. Jeff Donohue in November’s election, filed House Bill 300 on Tuesday as the Kentucky legislature continues its annual session.” [Courier Journal, 2/14/23]

• • The Bill Did Not Pass Before The End Of Session. [Kentucky General Assembly, 2023 Regular Session, HB 300, introduced 2/14/23]

Louisiana

• Republican Lawmakers Voted Against Adding Exceptions For Rape And Incest To The State’s Abortion Ban. “This legislative session, there is a package of bills aimed at loosening Louisiana’s near-total abortion ban by adding exceptions, clarifying ‘vague language’ and decreasing the punishment for doctors convicted of performing illegal abortions. However, much of the proposed legislation died in a GOP-controlled committee Wednesday or was voluntarily deferred by the bills’ authors. […] While Republican lawmakers ultimately decided the fate of the bill, voting 10-5 along party lines to reject the bill and prevent it from being debated by the full House, they gave little to no reasoning for their opposition to the legislation during the meeting. A similar bill that would have added exceptions for rape and incest if the pregnant patient is a minor met the same fate Wednesday — with the committee voting 9-5 against it.” [WDSU 6, 5/11/23]

Maine

• Governor Mills And Democratic Legislators Are Working On A Package Of Bills To Protect And Expand Abortion Access And Reproductive Care. The package of bills includes protections for post-viability abortions when recommended by a medical professional, prohibits municipalities from banning or restricting abortion, allows for pregnant people from other states to travel to Maine for abortions,  and mandates that insurers provide coverage for reproductive care. [Central Maine, 1/26/23]

• • The Judiciary Committee Held A Hearing On A Bill That Would Expand Abortion Access. “Hundreds of Mainers, including 675 people in opposition, had signed up to address the Judiciary Committee for two minutes each at the hearing over the Democratic bill introduced by Governor Janet Mills and House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross to legalize abortion after fetal viability, or 24 weeks into pregnancy. […] ‘We trust medical professionals to provide care that is in their medical judgment,’ Talbot Ross said. ‘This legislation is compassionate. It is bound by science and best medical practices, and it recognizes abortion as health care.’ Women who’ve experienced later-in-pregnancy abortions were among the witnesses in the first four hours of testimony in support of the bill. [WMTW, 5/1/23]

• • • The Bill Passed In The Legislature. “Early Thursday evening, the Senate gave final approval, 20-11 in a party line vote, to an expansive and controversial reproductive rights bill, sending it to the desk of Democratic Governor Janet Mills, who proposed the bill and plans to sign it next week. Four senators were absent, two from each party. The bill, LD 1619, would allow surgical abortions, if medically necessary, after fetal viability at 24 weeks of pregnancy. The House enacted the bill last week 73-69 also along party lines. ‘We are for women’s, for reproductive rights for anyone who wants to have a family, is trying to have a family, is not ready for a family,’ Rep. Maureen Terry, (D) Gorham, the House Majority Leader, said in an interview.” [WMTW, 7/10/23]

• Republican Legislators Introduced A Bill To Repeal Maine’s Current Law Allowing For Abortion Services To Be Paid Through Mainecare. [State of Maine Legislature, 131st Maine Legislature, First Regular Session, LD 494,  introduced 2/7/23]

• • The Bill Failed In The House. [State of Maine Legislature, 131st Maine Legislature, First Regular Session, LD 494, Voted Ought Not to Pass, 6/20/23] 

• Democratic Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Enshrine The Right To Bodily Autonomy In The Maine Constitution. “It has been referred to as the abortion amendment, but to its sponsor, enshrining an individual’s right to bodily autonomy in the Maine Constitution would protect much more than a woman’s right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. “It is my belief completely that bodily autonomy isn’t just about reproductive freedom,” said Sen. Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop. ‘My body, my choice. No one has any right to tell me what I can and cannot do with it except for me. If I do not have control over my own body, am I truly free?’” [Portland Press Herald, 5/12/23]

• • The Bill Did Not Pass Before The End Of Session. [State of Maine Legislature, 131st Maine Legislature, First Regular Session, LD 776, Placed in Legislative Files, 6/16/23]

Maryland

• Democratic Legislators, With The Support Of Democratic Governor Wes Moore, Have Introduced A Referendum To Pass An Amendment To The State Constitution To Protect Abortion Rights. “The amendment, if passed by the legislature, signed by Gov. Wes Moore and approved by a majority of Maryland voters — would prohibit the state from directly or indirectly denying, burdening or abridging the right to things like birth control and abortion services.” [WYPR, 2/9/23]

• • Lawmakers Approved And Gov. Moore Approved The Constitutional Amendment To Go On The Ballot Next Year, Asking Voters To Enshrine The Right To Abortion In The State Constitution. “The 2024 referendum — expected to pass because of broad public support for abortion rights in Maryland — is among protective measures being advanced this session by lawmakers spurred to act by restrictions on abortion approved elsewhere. Maryland Democrats who pushed for putting reproductive rights into the state constitution also have given preliminary approval to legislation to shield patients and providers from criminal laws passed in antiabortion states, as well as to hide abortion care in digital medical records.” [The Washington Post, 3/30/23; Maryland General Assembly, 2023 Session, HB 705, Approved by the Governor, 5/3/23] 

Michigan

• After The Passage Of Proposal 3 Which Made Abortion A Constitutional Right In Michigan, Democratic Legislators Have Passed Proposals To Repeal Additional Abortion Restrictions. “The Michigan House voted Thursday to repeal the state’s 1931 abortion ban in a move that proponents contended reflects the will of a majority of voters who supported enshrining abortion rights in Michigan’s constitution last fall. The bill, which passed 58-50 with the support of two Republicans, comes about four months after Michigan residents voted 57% to 43% in favor of a constitutional amendment that enshrined the right to abortion and reproductive rights in Michigan’s constitution.” [The Detroit News, 3/2/23]

• • Gov. Whitmer Signed HB 4006 And HB 4032, Repealing The State’s Abortion Ban And Criminal Penalties. [Michigan Legislature, 2023 Session, HB 4006, Approved by the Governor 4/5/23; Michigan Legislature, 2023 Session, HB 4032, Approved by the Governor 3/23/23]

• Democratic Lawmakers Passed A Bill That Bars Employers From Retaliating Against Employees Who Have An Abortion. “The legislation, SB 147, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign into law, would amend the state’s Civil Rights Act to protect. Currently, only abortions intended to save the life of the pregnant person are protected, meaning an employer could fire someone for having an abortion.  The legislation closes a loophole in Michigan’s civil rights laws to reflect the interests of the state, protection of reproductive health care, bill sponsor state Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) said on the Senate floor in March before the Senate’s initial vote. ‘It is necessary to ensure that this loophole is closed so that employers who are hostile to abortion believing they need to insert themselves in people’s reproductive health care decisions do not violate the state constitution,’ Geiss said.” [Michigan Advance, 5/4/23]

• • Gov. Whitmer Signed The Legislation. [Michigan Legislature, 2023 Session, SB 147, Approved by the Governor, 5/18/23]

Minnesota

• Minnesota Legislators Passed The Protect Reproductive Options Act (PRO Act) To Strengthen The Right To An Abortion In State Law. “The Minnesota Senate voted early Saturday to strengthen the right to an abortion in state law following about 15 hours of debate between Democrats who favored the measure and Republicans who oppose it. Gov. Tim Walz supports the bill — known as the Protect Reproductive Options Act, or PRO Act for short — and is expected to sign it in the coming days. It represents a key priority of the DFL, newly in full control of state government, which moved quickly upon assuming power this month to firm up abortion rights in Minnesota. The 34-33 vote, which came around 3 a.m., was party-line, with all Democrats in favor and all Republicans opposed. Republicans unsuccessfully offered multiple amendments aimed at carving out exceptions to full legality, including a bid to prohibit third-trimester abortions. The House previously passed the legislation 69-65, with all but one DFL member in favor and all Republicans opposed.” [Star Tribune, 1/28/23]

• The Law Stated That Every Individual Had A Fundamental Right To Make “Autonomous Decisions About The Individual’s Own Reproductive Health” Including Abortion And Contraception. [Star Tribune, 1/28/23]

• Star Tribune: Minnesota’s Legislature Was The First To Take Action And Spell Out A Right To An Abortion In Law Since Roe Was Overturned In June 2022. “Walz’s signature will make Minnesota the 16th state to spell out a right to abortion in law, and the first Legislature to take action since Roe was overturned last June. Voters in several states adopted abortion protections through ballot initiatives last fall. The Center for Reproductive Rights places Minnesota among 10 states that have expanded access to abortion, either through court rulings or legislative action.” [Star Tribune, 1/31/23]

• Minnesota DFL Legislators Moved To Repeal Longstanding Abortion Restrictions In Addition To Passing The PRO Act. “Minnesota Democrats are moving to strip longstanding abortion restrictions etched into state lawbooks, the second piece of a broader push to ensure access to the procedure after the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Their proposal would eliminate a 24-hour waiting period written into law for patients seeking abortion, as well as a two-parent notification law for minors and an informed consent requirement. It would also get rid of a requirement that only a physician can provide abortions.” [Star Tribune, 1/14/23]

• • The Restrictions Are Currently Not In Effect Due To A Court Ruling, But Proponents Said A Future Judge Could Rule Differently If The Restrictions Remained On The Books. “Those laws currently aren’t in effect since a July ruling from a Ramsey County judge found them unconstitutional, but proponents of the change say a future judge could rule differently if the laws remain in statute. A group of women opposed to abortion are arguing in court to appeal that ruling.” [Star Tribune, 1/14/23]

• • Democratic Legislators Were Moving The Bill To Strip Regulations In Tandem With The Bill To Codify The Right To An Abortion In State Law. “The bill to strip regulations is moving in tandem with another to add abortion as a fundamental right in state law. Both bills have drawn fierce opposition from abortion opponents, who say Democrats are using complete control of government to push abortion policies that would make Minnesota an outlier in the nation.” [Star Tribune, 1/14/23]

• House DFL Lawmakers Passed A Bill To Offer Legal Protections To Patients Who Traveled To Minnesota For An Abortion And To The Providers Who Treated Them. “The Minnesota House of Representatives voted 68-62 Monday for a bill that would offer legal protections to patients who travel to Minnesota for an abortion and the providers that treat them. State leaders have said they are taking steps to offer those legal defenses now but DFL lawmakers at the Capitol said it was important to guarantee the protections in law. […] If passed by the Senate and signed into law, the bill would prevent state courts or officials from complying with extraditions, arrests or subpoenas related to reproductive health care that a person receives in Minnesota.” [MPR News, 3/20/23]

Montana

• Republican Lawmakers Passed And Gov. Gianforte Signed Into Law A Package Of Bills Restricting Abortion, Including Removing Right Of Privacy Laws, Allowing Health Care Providers To Refuse To Provide Abortion Care, And Enacting A Born-Alive Law. “Montana Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed on Wednesday a collection of bills restricting access to abortion, triggering legal action and challenging a 1999 state Supreme Court ruling on the procedure. While abortion remains legal in Montana, the legislation specifies that access to the procedure until viability is no longer protected under the right of privacy in the state’s constitution – contradicting the court’s two decades old ruling.” [CNN, 5/5/23]

Nebraska

• Republican Lawmakers Approved A 12-Week Abortion Ban. “The Nebraska Legislature on Friday approved a 12-week abortion ban and restrictions on gender-affirming care for people younger than 19 in a move so contentious that lawmakers on both sides have said they may be unable to work together in the future. Conservative lawmakers called in a visibly ill colleague so they would have enough votes to end a filibuster and pass a bill with both measures. Republican Gov. Jim Pillen, who pushed for the bill, has promised to sign it into law.” [AP, 5/20/23]

• • Gov. Pillen Signed The Bill Into Law. [Nebraska Legislature, 2023 Session, LB 574, Approved by Governor, 6/1/23]

Nevada

• Senate Democrats Announced Plans To Introduce Legislation To Codify The States Protections For Out-Of-State Abortion Patients And Providers.  “Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro is set to introduce legislation that would codify former Gov. Steve Sisolak’s executive order protecting out-of-state abortion patients and health care providers who provide abortions…The executive order, which was signed by Sisolak in June, blocks any Nevada agency from providing information or using resources to assist out-of-state authorities investigating individuals who seek an abortion in the state and the providers who perform the procedure. The order also protects health care professionals from being disciplined by medical boards for performing abortions. [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1/19/23]

• • Cannizzaro Introduced The Bill In Early February. “‘Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we know that health care rights — reproductive health care rights — have been under the attack,’ Cannizzaro said in a one-minute video posted to Twitter Thursday. ‘Here in Nevada, we want (patients and abortion providers) to know that they’re safe. We’re going to protect our health care providers. We’re going to protect people who are seeking reproductive health care right here in Nevada, and this bill is our first step.’” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2/9/23] 

• • The Bill Passed The Senate. “The Nevada state Senate approved a bill Wednesday that would strengthen existing protections for out-of-state abortion patients and in-state providers from outside prosecution and penalties as Democratic leadership vows to make the western swing state a safe haven for abortion patients.” [AP, 4/20/23]

• Assembly Democrats Introduced The Right To Contraception Act, Following A Texas Judge’s Ruling To Suspend FDA Approval Of Mifepristone, An Abortion Drug. “‘Amidst this confusion, we must provide clarity and assurance to all Nevadans that their reproductive healthcare decisions are protected, and that their access to contraception is guaranteed, now and forever in the state of Nevada,’ said Assemblymember Selena Torress, who presented the bill. Assembly Bill 383 was discussed Monday at the Nevada State Legislature’s Committee on Health and Human Services. It’s designed to prevent local governments from creating laws that would block access to reproductive healthcare services for Nevadans, like birth control, in-vitro fertilization, and miscarriage medications.” [Fox 5, 4/10/23]

• Senate Democrats Passed A Resolution To Propose A Constitutional Amendment Guaranteeing Abortion Rights In The State Constitution. “Senators voted 13-8 on party lines to send Senate Joint Resolution 7 to the Assembly, but not before a contentious floor debate. ‘Politicians should not be interfering in personal decisions between patients and their doctors when it comes to reproductive health care,’ Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, D-Las Vegas, said. ‘The ability to continue to access reproductive care should be a fundamental right.’” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/17/23]

New Hampshire

• Rep. Marjorie Smith (D, Strafford – 10) Introduced Legislation To Repeal The Fetal Life Protection Act. [HB 271, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/5/23]

• • The Bill Was Tabled. [HB 271, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/5/23]

• More Than A Dozen Democrats Proposed An Amendment To The State Constitution That Would Codify Reproductive Freedom. [CARC 2, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/4/23]

• Democratic Lawmakers Sponsored Legislation That Would Prohibit Interference With The Right To An Abortion And Provide For A Private Right Of Action. [SB-181, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/19/23]

• • The Bill Was Blocked. [SB-181, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/19/23]

• Over A Dozen Democrats Sponsored Legislation To Codify Access To An Abortion. [HB-88, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/4/23]

• • The Bill Was Passed In The House. [HB-88, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/4/23]

• Senate Republicans Blocked A Bill That Would Have Removed Civil And Criminal Penalties Under The 2021 24-Week Abortion Ban. “The penalties associated with New Hampshire’s 24-week abortion ban will remain in place after the state Senate on Thursday killed legislation that would have removed them. The Republican-led Senate voted 14-10 along party lines to reject a bill that would have removed the civil and criminal penalties from the 2021 ban on abortion after the 24th week of pregnancy. It also rejected adding an explicit right to abortion up to 24 weeks to state law. Both bills had passed the House, where Republicans hold a narrow 201-196 majority.” [NBC 5, 4/14/23]

• House Republicans Introduced A Fetal Heartbeat Bill. [HB-591, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/5/23]

• • The Bill Was Blocked.  [HB-591, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/5/23]

• Republican Lawmakers Proposed A Law To Require Informed Consent Prior To Receiving An Abortion. [HB-562, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/5/23]

• • The Bill Was Blocked. [HB-562, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/5/23]

New Jersey

• The Legislature And Governor Enacted A New Law To Make Birth Control More Easily Available Over-The-Counter. “Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill today allowing patients to acquire over-the-counter contraceptives with no prescription, finally putting into law a proposal that had been languishing in the state legislature for more than seven years… The bill was first introduced in 2015 by State Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Lawrence), who continued pushing for it every legislative session until it finally passed the full legislature in December of last year. The vote was 29-8 in the Senate and 64-14 in the Assembly, with a number of Republicans joining the entire Democratic caucus in support.” [New Jersey Globe, 1/13/23]

New Mexico

• Rep. John Block (R, HD-51) Introduced HB-258 Which Would Make It A Criminal Offense For Health Care Providers To Perform Abortions. [HB-258, 2023 Regular Session, 1/31/23]

• • The Bill Did Not Advance Through The House Or Senate. [HB-258, 2023 Regular Session, Introduced 1/31/23]

• Republican Lawmakers Sponsored Legislation To Require State Licensing, Inspection, And Regulation Of Abortion Clinics. [HB-513, 2023 Regular Session, 2/15/23]

• • The Bill Did Not Advance. [HB-513, 2023 Regular Session, Introduced 2/15/23]

• Republican Lawmakers Introduced Legislation That Would Create Civil And Criminal Penalties When Abortions Result In Born Alive Infants And Health Care Providers Fail To Comply With Certain Requirements For Care. [HB 441, 2023 Regular Session, 2/15/2023]

• • The Bill Did Not Advance. [HB 441, 2023 Regular Session, Introduced 2/15/2023]

• The House Passed The Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Freedom Act. “A bill that would prohibit discrimination in reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming healthcare passed the House by a 38 to 31 vote on Tuesday evening. HB 7, Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Healthcare, will, if enacted, prohibit municipalities and counties from passing ordinances that directly or indirectly discriminate against either reproductive and gender-affirming care. The bill is sponsored by state Rep. Linda Serrato, D-Santa Fe.” [NM Political Report, 2/22/23]

• • The Legislation Was Signed By The Governor On March 16, 2023. [HB-7, 2023 Regular Session, Introduced 1/25/23]

• A Bill To Protect Abortion And Gender-Affirming Care Providers From Out-Of-State Forces Was Introduced In The New Mexico Senate. [SB-13, 2023 Regular Session, 2/14/23]

• • The Bill Passed In The House And Senate. [SB-13, 2023 Regular Session, Introduced 2/14/23]

• • Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Signed The Bill.[Associated Press, 4/5/23]

• Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Signed A Law That Overrides Local Ordinances Aimed At Limiting Access To Abortion. “New Mexico’s governor signed an abortion-rights bill Thursday that overrides local ordinances aimed at limiting access to abortion procedures and medications. […] New Mexico has one of the country’s most liberal abortion access laws, but two counties and three cities in eastern New Mexico have recently adopted abortion restrictions that reflect deep-seated opposition to offering the procedure. The bill signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham overrides those local ordinances.” [Associated Press, 3/16/23]

• Democratic Lawmakers Passed A Bill To Override Local Abortion Restrictions With State Protections; The Bill Was Signed By The Governor. [ABC News, 3/16/23]

Nevada

• The Democratic Majority Leader Introduced A Constitutional Amendment To Enshrine Abortion Rights In The State Constitution; 40 Democratic Lawmakers Co-Sponsored The Legislation. [Associated Press, 3/16/23]

• • The Bill Passed And Has To Be Passed Again In 2025 Before Going On The Ballot For Voters To Approve. “Nevada lawmakers on Wednesday passed a joint resolution that would codify reproductive rights — including already-existing abortion access up to 24 weeks — into the state constitution. The state Assembly approved of the measure 28 to 14 along party lines, about three weeks after the state Senate passed it 13 to 8 along party lines. State lawmakers must pass the resolution again in 2025 before it would go before voters as a ballot question in 2026. If passed, the resolution would provide the highest level of state protection for not only abortion rights, but also other reproductive access, including postpartum and prenatal care, as well as birth control.” [ABC, 5/10/23]

• A Democratic Lawmaker Introduced Legislation To Make It Easier For Minors To Access Contraceptives. Under Senate Bill 172, health care providers would be able to prescribe, dispense or administer contraceptive drugs or devices to minors without consent from the minor’s parent or guardian. [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 3/9/23]

• • The Bill Passed In The Legislature And Was Signed Into Law By Gov. Lombardo. [Nevada Legislature, 2023 Session, SB 172, Approved by the Governor 6/5/23]

New York

• The Legislature Is Pushing Forward A New Law To Make Birth Control More Easily Available Over-The-Counter. [Times Union, 1/31/23]

• • The Bill Passed In The Legislature And Was Approved By Gov. Hochul. [New York State Assembly, 2023 Session, AB 1060, Signed 5/2/23]

North Carolina

• The Entire Roster Of Democrats In Both The North Carolina Senate And House Signed On To Legislation To Codify Both Roe And Casey Protections. [The Carolina Journal, 1/26/23; The Offices of The House and Senate Democrats, 1/31/23]

• House Republicans Filed A Bill To Completely Ban Abortion In The State, Except To Save A Mothers Life, And Would Charge Violators With A Felony. “House Bill 533 was filed Wednesday by state Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beautfort), its primary sponsor, Rep. Ben Moss (R-Moore), Rep. Edward Goodwin (R-Chowan) and Rep. Kevin Crutchfield (R-Cabarrus), and it would ban abortion processes except in cases of a spontaneous abortion of the fetus or an ectopic pregnancy. […] Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said last fall that he was looking for a path to something narrower. He said he doesn’t think the 20-week ban is sufficient, although it is narrower than the roughly 24-to-28-week limit that Roe had stipulated.” [Fox 8, 3/30/23]

• Republican Lawmakers Passed A 12-Week Abortion Ban. “North Carolina’s Republican-controlled state Senate on Thursday passed legislation that would ban most abortions after 12 weeks. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has vowed to veto the bill, but the GOP supermajority in the legislature can override him. The measure sped through the legislature this week, passing both chambers on party-line votes less than 48 hours after being introduced. The state House had advanced the bill on Wednesday after it was introduced Tuesday night. Cooper has previously said he plans to veto the “extreme” legislation, but if all members vote along party lines, North Carolina’s Republican state legislators have enough votes in both chambers to override any veto from Cooper.” [CNN, 5/4/23]

• • Democratic Gov. Cooper Vetoed The Bill. “In front of an exuberant crowd, North Carolina’s Democratic governor vetoed legislation Saturday that would have banned nearly all abortions in his state after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Hundreds of abortion-rights activists and voters watched on a plaza in the capital of Raleigh as Gov. Roy Cooper affixed his veto stamp to the bill. The veto launches a major test for leaders of the GOP-controlled General Assembly to attempt to override Cooper’s veto after they recently gained veto-proof majorities in both chambers. The bill was the Republican response to last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.” [CBS, 5/13/23]

• • The Republican-Supermajority In The Legislature Overrode Gov. Cooper’s Veto. “North Carolina Republicans successfully killed Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a 12-week abortion ban on Tuesday, paving the way for the restriction to soon become law. When the legislature held an override vote on Tuesday, every Republican voted for the 12-week abortion ban in the Senate, 30-20, and the House, 72-48 ― confirming that the state’s Republican supermajority had the power to override Cooper’s veto.” [HuffPost, 5/16/23]

North Dakota

• Republican Governor Doug Burgum Signed Legislation Banning Abortion, Allowing With Only A Few Exceptions Up To Six Weeks Of Pregnancy. “North Dakota on Monday adopted one of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the country as Republican Gov. Doug Burgum signed legislation banning the procedure throughout pregnancy, with slim exceptions up to six weeks’ gestation. In those early weeks, abortions would only be allowed in cases of rape or incest, or in medical emergencies. After six weeks, rape and incest victims cannot get abortions. Abortions to treat some medical emergencies, such as ectopic pregnancies, are allowed at any stage of pregnancy.” [AP, 4/25/23]

Oregon

• Republicans Introduced A Bill Prohibiting An Abortion Unless Health Care Provider First Determines Probable Gestational Age, Except In Case Of A Medical Emergency. [Oregon State Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, SB 513, introduced 1/9/23]

• • The Bill Did Not Pass Before The End Of Session. [Oregon State Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, SB 513, introduced 1/9/23]

• House Democrats Passed A Bill That Would Provide Protections For Patients And Providers For Abortion And Gender Affirming Care Services. “The bill would implement a wide-ranging series of measures, including shielding patients and providers from lawsuits originating in states where abortion and gender-affirming care are now restricted. It would also require public universities and community colleges with student health centers to provide emergency contraception and medication abortion. Additionally, it would expand insurance coverage for gender-affirming health care by barring insurers from defining as cosmetic procedures that are prescribed as medically necessary for treating gender dysphoria, among other things. [AP, 5/2/23]

• • The Bill Passed In The Legislature And Was Signed Into Law By Gov. Kotek. [Oregon State Legislature, 2023 Regular Session, HB 2002, Governor signed, 7/13/23]

Pennsylvania

• Democratic Lawmakers Said They Would Introduce Legislation To Expand Access To Contraceptives.  “Democratic state lawmakers met in Delaware County on Friday to discuss legislation that they and supporters say would expand access to contraceptives in Pennsylvania amidst a national fight over abortion access and reproductive rights. Rep. Leanne Krueger, D-Delaware, hosted the House Democratic Policy Committee’s hearing. She announced in April that she would introduce a bill — HB 1140 — to expand access to contraceptives in Pennsylvania.” [Pennsylvania Capital Star, 5/12/23]

• Democratic Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Expand Access To Contraceptives. [HB-1140, 23-24 Regular Session, 5/18/23]

• Sen. Judith L. Schwank (D, SD-11) Introduced Senate Bill 237 To Regulate Crisis Pregnancy Centers That Receive State Funding. [SB-237, 23-24 Regular Session, 1/31/23]

• Republican Legislators Continued To Pursue A Constitutional Amendment That Would Declare The Pennsylvania Constitution Does Not Grant Any Rights Related To Abortion. “Republican legislators have turned to the Constitutional amendment process to advance their policy goals because Democratic Governor Tom Wolf has vetoed many of their priorities. Constitutional amendments do not need the governor’s approval. Instead, if a proposed amendment passes in two consecutive legislative sessions, a referendum of voters is scheduled. […] The following amendments passed the legislature in July 2022 at the end of the last legislative session. There were no public hearings, no expert testimony, and no input from the minority party. In fact, there was little debate at all. These are the proposed amendments: 1. Declare that the Pennsylvania Constitution does not grant any right related to abortion.” [Gettysburg Times, 1/26/23]

Rhode Island

• Democratic Lawmakers Passed And Gov. McKee Signed Legislation Allowing State Funds To Cover Health Insurance Plans For State Workers And Medicaid Recipients Seeking Abortions. “Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee signed a bill into law Thursday that would let state funds be used to pay for health insurance plans that cover state workers and Medicaid recipients seeking abortions. The signing ceremony was held almost immediately after the state Senate approved the measure, also Thursday, on a 24-12 vote following less than an hour of debate in the chamber. McKee, a Democrat, said he was proud to sign the bill into law and include related funding in his state budget proposal. ‘Here in Rhode Island, we will always protect a woman’s right to choose and ensure equal access to these crucial health care services,’ he said.” [TIME, 5/19/23]

South Carolina

• Republican Legislators Introduced A Bill That Could Allow For Women Who Have Abortions To Be Eligible For The Death Penalty. MEMBERS OF THE South Carolina State House are considering a bill that would make a woman who has an abortion in the state eligible for the death penalty. The “South Carolina Prenatal Equal Protection Act of 2023” would amend the state’s code of laws, redefining “person” to include a fertilized egg at the point of conception, affording that zygote “equal protection under the homicide laws of the state” — up to and including the ultimate punishment: death. [Rolling Stone, 3/13/23]

• • The Bill Did Not Pass Before The End Of Session. [South Carolina General Assembly, 2023-2024 Session, HB 3549, introduced 1/10/23]

• House Republicans Passed Legislation That Would Ban Most Abortions At Six Weeks. “South Carolina House members approved a controversial bill late Wednesday that would ban most abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy, after having spent the last two days in contentious debate on the legislation. Lawmakers had been called back for a special session this week by Republican Gov. Henry McMaster to continue work on Senate Bill 474, known as the ‘Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act,’ which bans most abortions after early cardiac activity can be detected in a fetus or embryo, which can commonly be detected as early as six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.” [CNN, 5/18/23]

• • The Bill Was Signed Into Law, But Is Temporarily Blocked By A Judge. “A South Carolina judge has temporarily blocked the state’s new abortion restrictions from going into effect, just one day after Gov. Henry McMaster signed them into law. The law, which limited most abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, was signed by McMaster, a Republican, on Thursday and went into effect immediately. Moments later, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, along with the Greenville Women’s Clinic and two physician plaintiffs, filed a lawsuit in state court to try to stop it. Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman made the decision Friday in Richland County, South Carolina, to put the new law on hold until the state Supreme Court can review the case to determine whether it violates the state’s constitution.” [CNN, 5/26/23]

Tennessee

• Democratic Legislators Introduced A Legislative Package To Return Abortion Rights And Access To the State. “Monday, state Democrats revealed their plan to open up abortion access in the state, naming it the Fundamental Right to Reproductive Health Care Act. “Today we begin our journey to restore our rights in Tennessee,” Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) said. If passed, the package would make abortion legal in Tennessee again.” [WKRN, 1/30/22]

• • The Senate Bill And Matching House Bill Both Failed In Committee. [Tennessee General Assembly, 2023 Session, SB 762, Failed in Senate Judiciary Committee 2/28/23; Tennessee General Assembly, 2023 Session, HB 829, Failed in s/c Population Health Subcommittee of Health Committee 3/14/23]

Utah

• The Republican Majorities In The Utah Legislature Passed A Bill Along Party Lines To Ban Abortion Clinics In The State; The Governor Signed The Bill Into Law. “Additionally, after May 2 of this year, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services will not be allowed to grant or renew a license of an abortion clinic. Under the legislation, all abortions will be required to take place in a hospital, which is defined as “a general hospital licensed by the state.” [ABC News, 3/16/23]

Vermont

• Democratic Lawmakers Passed A Bill To Protect Health Care Providers In Providing Reproductive And Gender Affirming Care Services. “The Vermont Legislature passed reproductive and gender-affirming health care bills on Thursday with a late addition aimed at protecting access to a medication widely used in abortions even if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration withdraws its approval of the pill, mifepristone. […] Legislators recently tacked on medicated abortion to the definition of legally protected reproductive health care services, and believe the state is the first to do so. In the identical bills passed by the House and Senate, ‘reproductive health care services’ includes ‘medication that was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for termination of a pregnancy as of January 1, 2023, regardless of the medication’s current FDA approval status.’” [AP, 4/27/23]

• • The Matching House And Senate Bills Were Signed Into Law By Gov. Scott. [Vermont General Assembly, 2023 Session, S 37, Signed by Governor 5/10/23; Vermont General Assembly, 2023 Session, H 89, Signed by Governor 5/10/23] 

Virginia

• A Republican Senator Introduced A 15-Week Abortion Ban. “On Wednesday, Virginia Republicans introduced a bill to criminalize abortion in the commonwealth after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The party is framing the ban as a moderate compromise: GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin praised it as a ‘bipartisan consensus,’ while the Senate Republican caucus described it as ‘practical, sensible, and reasonable.’” [Slate, 1/11/23]

• • The Senate Version Of The Bill Was Blocked By A Democratic-Majority Committee.  [SB 1385, 2023 Legislative Session, accessed 2/27/23] 

• • The House Bill To Ban Abortion After 15 Weeks Was Left In The Courts Of Justice Committee And Was Not Heard. [HB 2278, 2023 Legislative Session, accessed 2/8/23]

• • SB 1483, A Bill To Ban Abortion After 22 Or 24 Weeks, Was Voted Down By A Democratic-Majority Senate Committee.  [SB 1483, 2023 Legislative Session, accessed 2/27/23] 

• A Republican Lawmaker Introduced A “Life At Conception Bill” That Would Ban Abortion With Narrow Exceptions. “Sen. Travis Hackworth’s Senate Bill 1284, which he described as ‘a life at conception bill,’ offered the most restrictive option, banning all abortion except in cases where the mother’s life is at risk or prior to 20 weeks if an official police report has been filed alleging rape or incest occurred.” [Virginia Mercury, 1/20/23]

• • A Democratic-Majority Senate Committee Blocked SB 1284. [SB 1284, 2023 Legislative Session, accessed 2/27/23]

• Republican Lawmakers Killed A Proposed Constitutional Amendment To Protect Abortion Access. “A House of Delegates subcommittee on Friday voted down a proposed constitutional amendment to protect abortion access and a bill to prevent the extradition of Virginians who have abortions in another state in violation of that state’s law. Both measures were defeated on 5-3 party-line votes in a GOP-led Courts of Justice subcommittee. The defeated bills signal the likely end of the line for abortion-related bills this session, which is scheduled to end a week from Saturday. Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, carried the proposed amendment, while Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, sponsored the extradition bill.” [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 2/17/23]  [SJ 255, 2023 Legislative Session, accessed 2/7/23]

• The House Passed Three Anti-Abortion Bills: HB 1795, HB 1954, And HB 2270. [Virginian-Pilot, 2/8/23]

• • A Democratic-Majority Senate Committee Blocked HB 1795, A “Born Alive” Abortion Bill. [HB 1795, 2023 Legislative Session, accessed 2/23/23]

• • A Democratic-Majority Senate Committee Blocked  HB 1954, Which Would Make Killing The Fetus Of Another Manslaughter. [HB 1954, 2023 Legislative Session, accessed 2/23/23]

• • A Democratic-Majority Senate Committee Blocked HB 2270, An “Informed Consent” Bill. [HB 2270, 2023 Legislative Session, accessed 2/23/23]

Wisconsin

• Democratic Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Restore Abortion Access. “A new Democratic-backed bill aims to restore abortion access laws in Wisconsin to what they were just prior to last summer’s decision that overturned Roe vs. Wade, Gov. Tony Evers said during a Tuesday news conference unveiling the proposal. Introduced by two Madison lawmakers, the bill would strike down the 1849 abortion law that barred the procedure in all cases from the time of conception, except for when the life of the mother is at stake – as well as two references to the law elsewhere in the Wisconsin code. Because the abortion statutes passed since the Roe decision were not removed from the books, they would remain in effect.” [NBC 15, 3/21/23]

• • Republican Lawmakers Introduced A Bill To Prohibit Abortion When A Fetal Heartbeat Is Detected With Exceptions For Rape, Incest, And To Protect The Life And Vital Organs Of The Mother. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinal Online, 3/15/23]

• Forty-six Democratic Lawmakers Introduced Legislation To Hold A Referendum On The Question Of Repealing Wisconsin’s 1849 Abortion Law And Restoring The Constitutional Rights Guarantees Under Roe V. Wade. [SJR 10, 2023 Regular Session,  2/3/23]

• • Republican Lawmakers Rejected A Legislative Effort To Put A Referendum On The Spring Ballot About The 1849 Abortion Ban. “Evers and Democratic lawmakers introduced their alternative to the welfare question just hours before the Senate convened, arguing that the Legislature should be focused on restoring abortion rights, which they predicted would have broad support, and citing polling data showing a majority of the state’s residents support legal abortions.” [Associated Press, 1/17/23] 

• Thirty-Two Republican Lawmakers Sponsored Legislation Providing Requirements For Children Born Alive Following Abortion Or Attempted Abortion And Providing A Penalty. [SB-61, 2023 Regular Session, 2/14/23]

Wyoming

• Representative Rachel Rodriguez-Williams (R, HD-50) Passed The Life Is A Human Right Act Which Would Prohibit Abortion From Conception. [HB-152, 2023 Regular Session, 1/16/23]

• • The Bill Passed And Was Signed By The Governor. [HB-152, 2023 Regular Session, Governor Signed, 3/17/23]

• The Republican Majorities In The State Legislature Successfully Passed A Ban On Abortion Pills Which Was Signed By The Governor. “Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has signed into law the nation’s first explicit ban on abortion pills since they became the predominant choice for abortion in the U.S. in recent years. Gordon, a Republican, signed the bill Friday night while allowing a separate measure restricting abortion to become law without his signature. The pills are already banned in 13 states that have blanket bans on all forms of abortion, and 15 states already have limited access to abortion pills. Until now, however, no state had passed a law specifically prohibiting such pills, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. [SF-109, 2023 Regular Session, Governor Signed 3/17/23]