Status of Abortion Laws, State by State

Last updated: July 21, 2023, at 9:15 a.m. PT / 12:1 p.m. ET.

abortion-legal-state-laws
Protesters at an abortion rights rally on June 25, 2022, in Austin, Texas. The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health overturned the landmark 50-year-old Roe v. Wade case and erased a federal right to an abortion, leaving it up to the states to be regulated, abolished and criminalized. (Sergio Flores / Getty Images)

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 24 ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, state lawmakers are now free to craft their own abortion regulations, subject only to each state constitution—meaning state-level litigation and legislation has become the new frontlines for reproductive rights and access.

As a result, abortion laws are changing daily as legislatures across the U.S. pass new protections or strip away existing ones. Governors are signing executive orders to protect reproductive freedom or calling special legislative sessions and urging their colleagues to gut protections. Judges are placing injunctions or lifting them. 

We are keeping track of the changing landscape and will continue to update this piece as state policies continue to morph and change.

Resources on how to find an abortion or access legal and medical support are linked at the bottom of this article.


Alabama: Banned

May 9, 2023: Alabama House Bill HB454 was introduced into Congress to codify abortion as murder. Changing the definition of a person to include an “unborn child from the moment of fertilization,” the bill would prosecute a pregnant person who attempts to terminate their pregnancy with murder and assault charges.

June 24, 2022: A 2019 law went into effect after a U.S. district judge lifted an injunction following the Supreme Court decision. The so-called Human Life Protection Act bans all abortion, with the sole exception of pregnancies that pose a direct threat to the pregnant person. It is unclear what the state considers a medically necessary abortion. Performing an abortion is now a Class A felony punishable by up to 99 years in prison, and state officials are arguing that those who assist abortion seekers reach another state be charged with conspiracy. The attorney general’s office is examining whether the law prohibits the latter.

Nov. 6, 2018: A ballot was passed that explicitly excluded abortion from the state constitution.


Alaska: Protected

June 24, 2022: Abortion services are protected under the state’s privacy clause and state supreme court rulings. However, Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) has called for a constitutional amendment to remove protections for abortion. The decision is left to Alaskan voters, who in November will decide whether to call a constitutional convention. In 2019, 63 percent of Alaskans supported abortion


Arizona: Banned After 15 Weeks

Dec. 30, 2022: A state appeals court allowed the 15-week ban to go into effect but functionally blocked the pre-statehood ban, ruling doctors could not be prosecuted under it.

Oct. 27, 2022: AG Brnovich (R) announced he would not enforce the state’s near total ban until at least next year.

Oct. 7, 2022: An Arizona appellate court halted enforcement of the state’s near total abortion ban. Judge Peter J. Eckerstrom, writing for the three-member judicial panel, said the lower court may have made a mistake in its decision to resurrect the 1864-era total ban.

Sept. 23, 2022: A judge reinstated the near total pre-statehood ban.

July 11, 2022: A federal judge blocked the state’s 2021 ban, set to take effect on Sept. 23. Attorney General Mark Brnovich (R) again asked a court to let the separate, pre-statehood ban take effect, which would ban abortion entirely. A state judge is expected to issue a decision on Sept. 19.

June 29, 2022: AG Brnovich is filing for the removal of an injunction against a pre-statehood law that bans all abortions and can imprison anyone helping a woman receive an abortion for two to five years. There is an exception if the pregnant person’s life is at risk. Some officials claim the law, first drafted during the Civil War, is already in effect.

Regardless of the status of the pre-statehood ban, a new 2021 law will take effect on Sept. 23, 2022—90 days after the legislature adjourns. The law bans abortion at 15 weeks and six days and subjects doctors to felony charges for performing an abortion. Gov. Doug Ducey (R) has argued the 2021 law overrules the total ban of the pre-statehood law, but that is not explicit in the language. The injunction will almost definitely be overturned, and then it will be up to the courts and the legislature to decide what law is enforced.

Rachel Mitchell, the top attorney in Maricopa County, the most populous county in the state, says she will not prosecute abortions in cases of rape or incest victims. 


Arkansas: Banned

Nov. 4, 2022: The ballot initiative to raise the approval threshold of ballot initiatives from 50 percent to 60 percent failed.

June 24, 2022: A trigger ban went into effect that prohibits abortion with an exception if the pregnant person’s life is at risk.

April 28, 2021: the Republican-held state legislature proposed a ballot initiative to raise the approval threshold of ballot initiatives from 50 percent to 60 percent. This would make it harder to pass pro-rights initiatives. Voters will decide the issue in Nov. 2022.


California: Protected

Jan. 1, 2023: A 2019 law went into effect that requires public colleges and universities to provide medication abortions.

Nov. 8, 2022: Voters passed a ballot proposal that will enshrine the right to reproductive freedom in the state constitution.

Sept. 27, 2022: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed the remaining 13 bills strengthening protections for reproductive healthcare.

Sept. 1, 2022: The state legislature passed a package of 15 bills aimed at strengthening abortion rights. Two have already been signed. The bills allocate $20 million for reproductive care, grant permission to nurse practitioners to perform abortions and ban coroner investigations into fetal deaths.

June 27, 2022: Through an executive order, California now protects abortion seekers and providers from extradition and prevents information, including medical records, from being shared with other states seeking to prosecute abortion seekers or providers.

The legislature passed a constitutional amendment that would make explicit the right to abortion and contraceptives if OK-ed by voters in November. 


Colorado: Protected

April 4, 2022: Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed into law the Reproductive Health Equity Act, establishing as fundamental the rights to use contraceptives and have an abortion. It prohibits discrimination or retaliation against abortion seekers. 


Connecticut: Protected

April 29, 2022: The legislature passed a bill that establishes Connecticut as a legal safe haven for abortion seekers and providers. It also grants permission to advanced-practice clinicians to perform abortions via suction. 


Delaware: Protected

June 29, 2022: The state enacted legislation that grants permission to physician assistants, certified nurse practitioners and nurse midwives to perform abortions and protects abortion seekers and providers from civil suits in other states, as well as extradition. 


Florida: Banned After 15 Weeks

April 13, 2023: Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed into law a six-week abortion ban which will go into effect if the state supreme court upholds the 15-week ban.

July 5, 2022: The state appealed an appellate court’s decision that the 15-week abortion ban was unconstitutional under the state constitution’s privacy protection. The appeal automatically put the law back into effect pending further judicial review. 

April 14, 2022: Gov. DeSantis signed a law enacting a 15-week abortion ban. The sole exceptions are in cases where the pregnancy poses a serious risk to the pregnant person or where a fatal fetal anomaly is detected. The ban went into effect on July 1. 


Georgia: Banned After Six Weeks

Nov. 23, 2022: The state supreme court has allowed the six-week abortion ban to take effect once again while the state’s appeal continues. The court denied a request from abortion providers requesting 24-hours notice before reinstating the ban.

Nov. 15, 2022: A state judge blocked enforcement of the state’s six-week ban.

July 20. 2022: A federal appeals court allowed the state’s ban to go into effect and quickly issued a second opinion allowing the law to go into effect immediately rather than after the standard 28 days.

June 24, 2022: A 2019 law banning abortion at the detection of a “fetal heartbeat,” typically found at six weeks, had been held in courts until the Dobbs decision was announced. Now, it will almost definitely go into effect. The ban includes exceptions in cases of rape, incest and if the pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk to the pregnant person. It also grants personhood to fetuses.


Hawaii: Protected

March 22, 2023: Gov. Josh Green (D) signed into law a bill that reinforces protections for abortion providers and patients.

June 26, 2022: Gov. David Ige (D) affirmed that abortion seekers will continue to have access to abortion and that he will fight to ensure that right remains protected.


Idaho: Banned

April 5, 2023: Gov. Brad Little (R) signed into law a bill that criminalizes so-called “abortion trafficking,” or assisting minors to get an abortion without parental consent.

Jan. 5, 2023: The state supreme court upheld several abortion bans.

Aug. 25, 2022: The near total ban went into effect.

Aug. 24, 2022: A federal district judge blocked part of the trigger ban that would penalize doctors for acting to save the life or health of a pregnant person.

Aug. 12, 2022: The state supreme court allowed a six-week ban to go into effect immediately and declined to block the state’s trigger ban. The near total ban will go into effect on Aug. 25.

June 24, 2022: A 2020 law will go into effect as early as Aug. 18 that will ban abortion except for cases of rape, incest or if the pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk to the pregnant person. Patients will have to show police documentation to prove rape or incest. The state supreme court will hear arguments against the ban on Aug. 3. There are also two laws from the early 1970s that make aiding in providing abortion services or distributing information about how to induce an abortion a felony. It is unclear whether these laws will be enforced.


Illinois: Protected

Jan. 13, 2023: Gov. J. B. Pritzker (D) signed into law a bill protecting reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare patients and providers from out-of-state prosecution.

June 24, 2022: The state is preparing for an influx of patients from out of state, as all neighboring states now ban or are preparing to ban abortion. Planned Parenthood estimates more than 30,000 additional patients could travel to Illinois in the next year.


Indiana: Legal Until August 1

June 30, 2023: The Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the ban on abortion is legal in the eyes of the state constitution. The ban is set to take effect on August 1.

Dec. 3, 2022: A second judge issued a preliminary injunction.

Sept. 22, 2022: A judge issued a preliminary injunction against the ban, pending a lawsuit. The state supreme court will hear the case in January.

Sept. 15, 2022: The state’s near total ban, the first ban in the nation passed after Roe was overturned, went into effect.

Aug. 5, 2022: Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed into law Senate Bill 1, a near total abortion ban which will go into effect on Sept. 15. There are exceptions up to 10 weeks for rape, incest, fatal fetal anomalies and cases in which the pregnant person’s life is at risk. However, these exceptions will be complicated to receive.

June 24, 2022: Abortion is still legal for up to 22 weeks, with some medical exemptions after 22 weeks. There is a mandatory 18-hour waiting period, and doctors must tell patients fetuses can feel pain at 20 weeks and that they can reverse their abortion. (Both claims are unsupported by science.) Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) has announced plans to pass more restrictive abortion laws in a special legislative session that will begin July 6.


Iowa: Legal, Ban After Six Weeks Under Review

July 17, 2023: A judge blocked the six-week abortion ban from taking effect until the hearings in the lawsuit could take place.

July 12, 2023: State legislature voted to ban abortion after six weeks. Gov. Kim Reynolds has confirmed that she will sign the bill into effect on July 14.

July 11, 2022: A district court reinstated a law that mandates patients must wait 24 hours to receive an abortion.

July 5, 2022: A 24-hour waiting period law will likely be reinstated by a district court after the state supreme court refused to hear the case. Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) is also asking the court to reinstate a six-week “heartbeat” ban. (The term “fetal heartbeat” at that stage is false and intentionally misleading.) Abortion remains legal

June 17, 2022: The state supreme court ruled the state’s constitution does not protect the right to abortion.


Kansas: Legal

April 26, 2023: Born-alive infants protection act is passed, mandating that health officials should help infants survive a failed abortion procedure and take them to a hospital immediately, or face legal punishments. The law will become effective on July 1.

Aug. 2, 2022: Voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would have said the state constitution does not protect abortion.

June 24, 2022: During the state’s primary election in August, voters will also decide if a constitutional amendment stripping the right to abortion will be instituted. Voter turnout in the state for primaries usually equates to about half of the number of voters that show up for the general election. In 2019, the state was divided 49-49 on abortion rights. Currently, abortions are legal for up to 22 weeks.


Kentucky: Banned

Nov. 8, 2022: Voters shot down a proposal that would have stated there is no right to abortion in the state constitution.

Aug. 2, 2022: An appellate judge reinstated the state’s ban.

July 22, 2022: A court issued a preliminary injunction against the state’s three abortion bans, providing longer term relief than the June 30 temporary restraining order. Abortions will remain legal until the lawsuits are settled.

July 4, 2022: The state supreme court refused to overturn a temporary restraining order blocking the state’s near total ban. Abortions are allowed to continue temporarily. 

June 30, 2022: A circuit court judge has placed a temporary restraining order on the state’s ban in response to a lawsuit from Planned Parenthood and EMW Women’s Surgical Center. Abortions were allowed to resume temporarily on July 1. 

June 24, 2022: Trigger bans went into immediate effect. The law bans all abortions except in cases when the pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk to the pregnant person. Performing an abortion is now a Class D felony. The law also defines fetuses and embryos as “unborn human beings.” (The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs also repeatedly referenced the “unborn”—23 times, to be exact.)


Louisiana: Banned

Aug. 12, 2022: The state supreme court refused to reinstate an injunction. Abortions remain illegal unless the pregnant person’s life is at risk or the pregnancy is medically futile.

July 29, 2022: An appellate court overturned the injunction and reinstated the near total ban while lawsuits continue.

July 21, 2022: A court issued a preliminary injunction against the state’s three abortion bans, providing longer term relief than the July 12 temporary restraining order. Abortions will remain legal until the lawsuits are settled.

July 12, 2022: A court blocked the state’s trigger bans once again, allowing abortion services to resume after they were forced to stop last week.

July 8, 2022: A district court judge lifted a previous court decision and allowed abortion bans to go into effect.

July 7, 2022: The state supreme court refused to overturn the district court’s temporary injunction. Abortion remains legal as the case is heard. 

June 27, 2022: A district court judge temporarily blocked the state’s trigger ban in response to a lawsuit by abortion providers arguing the law is “constitutionally vague.” Abortion providers in their affidavits also expressed fear that doctors would not perform living-saving abortions for fear of prosecution.  

June 21, 2022: Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) signed into law a bill that bans all abortions unless the pregnancy poses a risk to the life of the pregnant person, is medically futile, or ectopic. Patients would have to meet numerous new medical requirements to prove they were in medical need of an abortion. It also increases the maximum jail time for abortion providers to 15 years

Nov. 4, 2020: Voters passed a ballot initiative that made clear there was no constitutional right to abortion in the state.


Maine: Protected

July 9, 2023: Maine House Bill LD1619 was introduced to Congress, which would allow abortions past fetal viability (about 24 weeks) if recommended by a doctor.

July 5, 2022: Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed an executive order prohibiting state agencies from cooperating with other states’ investigations into abortion seekers and providers. 

June 10, 2019: Mills signed into law a bill that allows nurse practitioners, physician assistants and certified nurse-midwives to perform medication and in-clinic abortions. Abortion is already protected under a 1993 law.


Maryland: Protected

July 1, 2022: A law went into effect that allowed nurse practitioners, physician assistants and nurse midwives to perform abortions. It also requires insurance providers to cover abortions. The state passed the law partly in preparation for an expected influx of out-of-state patients.


Massachusetts: Protected

July 29, 2022: Gov. Charlie Baker (R) signed an abortion access package into law. The ROE Act includes protections for reproductive and gender-affirming care providers, a requirement that insurance providers cover abortion and a requirement that public colleges provide medication abortion.

June 26, 2022: The House passed a bill that recognizes reproductive care and gender-affirming care as rights. It also bans civil action by individuals in other states against abortion seekers or providers in response to Texas’ abortion ban. It prohibits extradition to another state on reproductive-health-related charges and protects providers’ licenses. The bill awaits Senate approval. 

June 24, 2022: Gov. Baker signed an executive order barring state officials and agencies from complying with extradition requests related to reproductive healthcare charges, protecting healthcare providers’ licenses, as well as shielding them from other professional discipline.


Michigan: Protected

Nov. 8, 2022: Voters passed a ballot proposal that will enshrine the right to reproductive freedom in the state constitution. The amendment will take effect on Dec. 23.

Sept. 7, 2022: A state judge issued a permanent injunction against the state’s ban.

Aug. 1, 2022: An appellate court ruled that county prosecutors are allowed to prosecute the state’s ban. This ruling makes the total ban enforceable in the entire state. The sole exception to the 1931 ban is in cases where the life of the pregnant person is at risk.

July 5, 2022: Attorney General Dana Nessel announced she would let local prosecutors enforce the ban if the injunction was overturned. Two county prosecutors have said they would pursue prosecution

May 17, 2022: A state judge blocked the 1931 abortion ban. 

April 7, 2022: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) filed a lawsuit asking the state supreme court to recognize abortion as a fundamental right under the state’s due process clause and to block the enforcement of the 1931 abortion ban. 

Jan. 7, 2022: A ballot initiative will let voters decide if the state Constitution should be amended to explicitly affirm the fundamental right to reproductive freedom. The ballot is still collecting signatures, and if cleared, it will be decided in the November elections.


Minnesota: Protected 

July 11, 2022: A state district court permanently blocked several abortion restrictions, including a ban on qualified advance-practice clinicians providing abortion care, a mandatory 24 hour waiting period, a parental notification rule, a requirement forcing abortion providers to give irrelevant and misleading information to their patients and regulations that subject abortion providers to felony criminal penalties for minor regulatory infractions.

June 26, 2022: Gov. Tim Walz (D) issued an executive order protecting patients and providers from extradition.

June 24, 2022: Abortion is still protected under a 1995 state supreme court decision. The state has a 24-hour waiting period and requires parental notification for minors.


Mississippi: Banned

July 7, 2022: The state’s trigger ban went into effect. 

July 5, 2022: A state judge declined to block the near total abortion trigger ban. The only exceptions to the ban are for rape and to save the life of the pregnant person.


Missouri: Banned

June 24, 2022: A trigger ban went into effect minutes after the Supreme Court decision was released. The sole exception is for cases where the pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk to the pregnant person.


Montana: Protected

Nov. 8, 2022: Voters voted down a proposed “born alive” law.

June 24, 2022: Abortion is still protected under a 1999 state supreme court decision. Attorney General Austin Knudsen is asking the court to overturn said precedent

Aug. 9, 2021: The state supreme court blocked all three bills.

April 26, 2021: Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed into law three bills restricting abortion access, including one banning abortion after 20 weeks.


Nebraska: Banned After 12 Weeks

May 22, 2023: Gov. Jim Pillen (R) signed into law a 12-week abortion ban with exceptions for rape, incest and risk to the pregnant person’s life.

June 29, 2022: Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) announced he would sign legislation banning abortion with exceptions in cases where pregnancy poses a risk to the pregnant person’s life, should the legislature pass such a bill.

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal up to 20 weeks.


Nevada: Protected 

June 28, 2022: Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) signed legislation that protects the rights of out-of-state individuals seeking abortion care in Nevada and their healthcare providers.

June 28, 2022: Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) issued an executive order protecting patients and providers from prosecution and extradition.

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal up to 24 weeks through a 1990 referendum. The statute can only be altered through another referendum.


New Hampshire: Legal 

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal until 24 weeks through legislation attached to 2021’s budget. Abortions past 24 weeks are legal in cases of fetal anomalies and when the pregnant person’s health is at risk. Minors must notify their guardian at least 48 hours before having an abortion.


New Jersey: Protected

July 1, 2022: Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed two bills into law that protect patients and providers from out-of-state prosecution.

Jan. 19, 2022: Gov. Murphy signed into law a bill that codifies the right to abortion.


New Mexico: Protected

June 27, 2022: Gov. Michelle Grisham (D) signed an executive order furthering protections for abortion seekers and providers. It prevents state employees from cooperating in investigations from out-of-state, protects medical professionals’ licenses, and prohibits extradition.


New York: Protected 

June 20, 2023: The legislature approved a bill to protect abortion providers who distribute pills in states with bans.

July 1, 2022: The legislature approved a proposal to make explicit the fundamental right to abortion in the state’s Constitution. The amendment must pass the legislature again next year. Then New York voters would decide the fate of the proposal the following year. 

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal until 24 weeks under the state’s Reproductive Health Act of 2019. Also under this act, insurance must cover abortion.  

June 13, 2022: Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed legislation that will prevent state employees from sharing information with states pursuing the prosecution of abortion seekers or providers, and prohibits the extradition of abortion providers.


North Carolina: Banned After 12 Weeks

May 16, 2023: Legislature passes a ban on abortion after 12 weeks through a Republican supermajority.

Aug. 17, 2022: A federal district judge independently reinstated a 20-week ban. Doctors, district attorneys and the attorney general all urged the judge to allow the injunction against the ban to stand.

July 6, 2022: Gov. Ray Cooper (D) issued an executive order that prohibits the extradition of abortion seekers or providers and prohibits state employees from cooperating with out-of-state investigations relating to reproductive health. It also directs the Department of Public Safety to work with law enforcement to enforce a state law that prohibits the blocking of healthcare entrances. 

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal for up to 20 weeks. There are many restrictions on access. Cooper has promised to veto any anti-abortion laws.


North Dakota: Banned

April 25, 2023: A bill became law that bans abortion, with some exceptions for rape or incest only within the first six weeks.

Aug. 25, 2022: A district judge again blocked the state’s ban. Abortion will remain legal until a lawsuit is settled; however no abortion providers currently operate in the state.

July 27, 2022: A district judge has granted a temporary restraining order against the state’s trigger ban. The ban will go into effect on Aug. 26.

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal in the state until July 28, at which point a 2007 trigger ban will go into effect. The ban will make it a felony to perform an abortion and has exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and if the pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk to the pregnant person.


Ohio: Legal, Under Review

Oct. 7, 2022: An Ohio judge blocked the state’s six-week abortion ban indefinitely.

Sept. 20, 2022: A state judge extended the injunction against the six-week ban until Oct. 12.

Sept. 14, 2022: A state judge blocked the state’s ban for 14 days as a lawsuit brought by the ACLU is pending.

July 1, 2022: The state supreme court refused to block Ohio’s abortion ban. The lawsuit is still ongoing, but the ban continues to be enforced. 

June 24, 2022: A federal judge lifted an injunction on a 2019 law that bans all abortion at the detection of a fetal “heartbeat” which is usually at six weeks. There is an exception if the pregnancy poses a threat to the life of the pregnant person.


Oklahoma: Banned

May 31, 2023: Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that two state laws on abortion were unconstitutional because they required a “medical emergency” to have an abortion, but abortion remains illegal in the state outside of life-threatening situations.

April 12, 2022: Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed a bill into law that bans all abortions except in cases in which the pregnancy poses a threat to the life of the pregnant person and in cases of rape or incest that have been reported to the police. The ban is enforced via civil lawsuits, similar to the infamous bounty hunter law in effect in Texas since September 2021.


Oregon: Protected

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal at all stages of pregnancy thanks to the 2017 Reproductive Health Equity Act which codified the right to perform and receive abortions.


Pennsylvania: Legal

July 12, 2022: Gov. Tom Wolf (D) signed an executive order protecting patients and providers from out-of-state prosecution.

July 8, 2022: The legislature passed a bill authorizing a statewide vote to eliminate the right to abortion from the state constitution. Senate Republicans added the measure to an unrelated bill. The bill will need another round of legislative approval before it goes to a statewide vote.

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal up to 24 weeks. The state requires counseling, a 24-hour waiting period and parental consent. Additionally, the state has in place several TRAP laws that make operating clinics harder and more expensive.

May 3, 2022: Gov. Wolf has promised to veto any anti-abortion legislation.


Rhode Island: Protected

July 5, 2022: Gov. Daniel McKee (D) signed an executive order that protects abortion seekers and providers from extradition, prohibits state agencies from cooperating with other states’ investigations into abortion seekers and providers and protects healthcare professionals’ licenses and from other professional discipline. 

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal up to 24 weeks, and is protected by the Reproductive Privacy Act of 2019.


South Carolina: Legal, Under Review

May 25, 2023: Gov. Henry McMaster signed into law a ban on abortion after 6 weeks, with exceptions if the life of the pregnant person is at risk, and in cases of rape or incest. On May 26, a judge blocked the enforcement of this law.

Jan. 5, 2023: The state supreme court struck down the previous ban, making abortion legal until the 20th week of pregnancy.

Aug. 17, 2022: The state supreme court temporarily blocked the state’s six-week ban.

July 13, 2022: Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, filed a lawsuit to block a six-week abortion ban. The lawsuit argues that the ban violates the South Carolina constitution.

June 28, 2022: Lawmakers announced they were working on a near total ban. The sole exception would be in cases in which an abortion was necessary to save the life of the pregnant person. The ban would also prohibit the dissemination of information that will likely lead to a woman getting an abortion and the manufacture and sale of abortion medication. The legislature is Republican-controlled, so the ban will likely pass in the coming weeks. 

June 27, 2022: A circuit court judge removed her injunction against a 2021 ban. The law will now go into effect. It prohibits abortion after six weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest, and to save the life of the pregnant person.


South Dakota: Banned

June 24, 2022: A trigger law went into effect that bans all abortions except in cases where pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk to the pregnant person.


Tennessee: Banned

Aug. 25, 2022: The state’s trigger ban went into effect, banning all abortions.

June 28, 2022: A circuit court overturned an injunction allowing a 2020 law banning abortion at detection of a fetal “heartbeat,” usually at six weeks, to go into effect. The sole exception exists in cases where pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk to the pregnant person. Minors no longer have access to a judicial bypass to circumvent parental notification rules.

June 24, 2022: The Dobbs decision started a countdown on the state’s trigger ban. The near total ban is expected to go into effect in mid-August. It allows for medically necessary abortions in cases when the pregnant person’s life is at stake, although the language is difficult to interpret

Nov. 4, 2014: A ballot measure was passed that explicitly excludes the right to abortion from the state constitution.


Texas: Banned

July 1, 2022: The state supreme court overturned the restraining order and allowed the pre-Roe ban to go into effect, banning all abortion within the state. 

June 28, 2022: A judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking the state’s 1925 pre-Roe ban from going into effect. Abortion remains illegal after six weeks. 

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains illegal after six weeks in accordance with the state’s 2021 law, enforced through civil suits. The Supreme Court decision started a countdown for the state’s trigger law. The near total ban is expected to go into effect in mid-August


Utah: Banned After 18 Weeks, Total Ban Under Review

March 15, 2023: Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed a bill into law that will ban clinics from providing abortions. Starting next year, all abortions must be performed in a hospital.

July 11, 2022: A court issued a preliminary injunction against the state’s trigger ban. The ban will continue to be blocked while litigation continues.

June 27, 2022: A judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking the state’s trigger ban. The restraining order will expire on July 11. Until then, an 18-week ban is in place. 

June 24, 2022: A trigger law went into effect that bans all abortions except in cases of rape, incest, some fetal anomalies and when a pregnancy poses a life-threatening risk to the pregnant person. The law makes performing an abortion a Class D felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.


Vermont: Protected

May 10, 2023: Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed a bill into law that protects access to mifepristone, a medication commonly used in abortions, regardless of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision to revoke its approval of the pill.

Nov. 8, 2022: Voters passed a ballot proposal that will enshrine the right to personal reproductive autonomy in the state constitution.

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal in the state under a 2019 law that affirmed the fundamental right to reproductive healthcare. Vermonters will vote on a proposal to amend the state Constitution to protect abortion in November.


Virginia: Legal

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal until 26 weeks. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is seeking a 15-week ban, but such a ban is unlikely to pass the Democrat-controlled Senate.


Washington: Protected

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal until viability, and is protected by law. State Democrats seek to enshrine the right to reproductive healthcare within the state Constitution.


Washington, D.C.: Protected

June 24, 2022: Abortion remains legal through all stages of pregnancy and reproductive healthcare workers are protected by a 2017 amendment to the district’s Human Rights Act. A 2020 amendment recognized the right to choose to use contraceptives or have an abortion. The district remains vulnerable as the federal government oversees its laws and budgets.


West Virginia: Banned

Sept. 16, 2022: Gov. Jim Justice (R) signed the ban into law.

Sept. 13, 2022: The state legislature passed a near total ban, with exceptions for rape, incest, and if the pregnant person’s life is at risk. Gov. Justice is expected to sign the bill into law soon.

July 18, 2022: A circuit court temporarily blocked the state’s 150 year old abortion ban, allowing abortions to once again be performed.

June 24, 2022: A pre-Roe ban went into effect that prohibits abortion with an exception if the pregnant person’s life is at risk. Abortion providers would face felony charges and up to 10 years in prison.


Wisconsin: Banned

June 26, 2022: Gov. Tony Evers (D) has promised to offer medical professionals clemency if they are prosecuted for performing abortions. Attorney General Josh Kaul has also promised not to enforce the ban. 

June 24, 2022: A pre-Roe ban went into effect that prohibits abortion with an exception if the pregnant person’s life is at risk. 

June 22, 2022: Democratic Gov. Evers called a special legislative session to repeal the state’s pre-Roe ban ahead of the Dobbs decision. The Republican-controlled legislature immediately closed the session.


Wyoming: Legal, Under Review

Mar. 22, 2023: A county judge temporarily blocked the ban.

Mar. 19, 2023: A near total ban became law without the governor’s signature

Mar. 17, 2023: Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed a bill into law that bans medication abortions in the state.

Dec. 20, 2022: The state supreme court declined to review the case against the ban, returning it to the district court. Abortion remains legal.

July 27, 2022: The state’s trigger ban went into effect, but was promptly blocked.

June 24, 2022: A trigger ban passed this year will go into effect as soon Gov. Mark Gordon (R) certifies the ruling, which he is expected to do in the coming weeks. The ban prohibits abortion with exceptions for rape, incest, and if the pregnant person’s life is at risk.


How to Find an Abortion, Medical or Legal Support

Those seeking an abortion:

  • AbortionFinder: Available in English and Spanish, this site provides a list of trusted and verified abortion care and support. No search or user data is saved. 
  • INeedAnA.com: Where and how to get an abortion sorted by distance, cost, legal limits, and appointment availability; no search or user data is saved. 
  • Aid Access: All about receiving medication abortion by mail.
  • Practical Support Organizations (PSOs) Directory: This directory can identify a PSO nearby for travel and logistical support for those traveling for abortion care.
  • Abortion Access Dashboard: Illustrates travel times and distances to access abortion care as well as the demand for services across the country
  • ReproClinics: lists pro-choice reproductive health clinics and doctors that can be trusted to give supportive and non-judgmental reproductive healthcare.

In case of medical or legal complications:

Up next:

U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For 50 years, Ms. has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you. For as little as $5 each month, you’ll receive the print magazine along with our e-newsletters, action alerts, and invitations to Ms. Studios events and podcasts. We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity.

About and

Phoebe Kolbert is an undergraduate student at Smith College studying sociology and reproductive health and justice. She is an editorial intern with Ms. and a contributor to the Mainer News Cooperative. Find her columns for Mainerhere.
Clara Scholl is a Ms. editorial intern and is completing her undergraduate studies at New York University. She is the arts editor for NYU's independent student newspaper, Washington Square News. Clara has previously worked as a girl advocate with the Working Group on Girls at the UN Commission on the Status of Women from 2018 to 2021. You can find her on Twitter @scholl_clara.