Eight states have now outlawed abortion, but federal judges in Kentucky, Louisiana and Utah have temporarily blocked “trigger bans” in those states from taking effect.
In states like Arizona, Texas, Michigan, West Virginia and Wisconsin, Republicans have dusted off century-old abortion laws that were never taken off the books — some predating the Civil War — leading to challenges to their legality.
Here’s what you need to know:
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On Friday night, the Texas Supreme Court allowed a 1925 law banning abortion to take effect, overturning a lower court ruling that had temporarily blocked it. The arguments in the case involving the old law will continue on July 12. The lifting of the freeze did not allow for criminal enforcement of the ban, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing abortion clinics in the legal fight. Separate from the Friday ruling, a “trigger ban” that prohibits all abortions in Texas from the moment of fertilization, with rare exceptions including to save the life of the mother, is set to go in effect at the end of July.
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On Thursday, Judge John C. Cooper of the Second Judicial Circuit Court in Tallahassee said he would temporarily block a Florida law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, ruling that the law violated privacy protections found in the Florida constitution. The judge’s ruling will not be binding until he signs a written order, though, so Florida’s 15-week ban, set to take effect on Friday, will be enforceable for a brief time until he does.
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In Arizona, Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced that a statute banning all abortions that was enacted before Arizona became a state is now enforceable. The decision contradicts a position taken by Arizona’s governor, who has said that the century-old law was superseded by one he signed in March allowing abortions up to 15 weeks.
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Connecticut’s Safe Harbor laws take effect on Friday, expanding the list of clinicians who can provide abortions and shielding patients from out of state who travel to Connecticut for the procedure.
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