Staff writer
The contentious rights to abortion as enshrined by the US federal law in the landmark case of Roe vs Wade on January 22, 1973 is likely to be struck down.
The law of the land in the Court’s 1973 decision settled a constitutional right to abortion and prohibited states from banning the procedure before fetal viability, or around 23 weeks.
The Supreme Court seems likely on to uphold the Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Since the abortion was legalized in US. an estimated 62 million abortions have occurred.
In a leaked draft per POLITICO, a majority of 5 to 4 Supreme Court Justices had voted to strike down the law in a preliminary procedure a few month ago. This numbers of Justices for or against may have changed, but the decision weighs on overturn of the law.
TRIGGER LAWS
According to Guttmacher Institute, a research organization focused on reproductive health and rights, there are 21 states with pre abortion bans and trigger laws and more considering to severely limit or ban abortion once the Supreme Court nullifies nationwide rights to abortion.
Trigger laws – passed post-Roe “trigger laws” that would become enforceable once the Supreme Court overturns Roe vs Wade.
Currently, 12 states with trigger laws or abortion bans (severe restrictions) include – Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.
4 other states with pre-abortion bans in the books and would become enforceable with the Roe strike are – Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Image credit /AP/
The rights to abortion has been an ever contentious political and social issue that has been a core driver of American politic discourse pitting conservatives vs liberals.
