Virginia Lawmakers pass bill repealing abortion restrictions
Virginia’s General Assembly passed a bill that repealed many of the State’s restrictions on abortion on Wednesday. House Bill 980, also known as the Reproductive Health Protection Act, received final passage from the House of Delegates and was sent to Governor Ralph Northam for final approval on Wednesday. HB 980, which had initially passed the [...]
Virginia Senate panel approves bill to loosen abortion restrictions
A Virginia Senate committee on Thursday approved SB 733, legislation to ease abortion restrictions, by a 9-6 vote. A similar bill was advanced in the House Wednesday. The legislation aims to undo Republican-backed laws in the state. If signed into law, the bill will reverse the 24-hour waiting period and ultrasound and counseling requirements. The Democratic-backed changes [...]
Supreme Court declines to hear challenge to Kentucky abortion ultrasound law
The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a Kentucky law that requires a pregnant individual to receive an ultrasound before having an abortion. This means that the law, which was upheld by the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, will stand. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the appeal on behalf [...]
Federal judge strikes down two Virginia abortion laws, upholds two others
A federal judge on Monday struck down two Virginia laws that restrict access to abortion, ruling that they unconstitutionally burden women seeking abortions. He upheld two other challenged abortion laws, as well as the remainder of the bill containing one of the spiked laws. US District Court Judge Henry Hudson struck down Virginia’s second-trimester hospital [...]
Louisiana’s Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards on Thursday signed a bill banning abortion if a fetal heartbeat is detected by an ultrasound. The exceptions to the abortion ban include situations to prevent the pregnant women’s death or a serious risk of impairment of major bodily function, or when the pregnancy is medically futile, but do [...]
The Louisiana House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a bill banning abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, similar to those recently passed in Mississippi and other states. The bill was sponsored by Louisiana state Senator John Milkovich, a Democrat, and Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, another Democrat, has indicated his willingness to sign the [...]
Federal appeals court upholds Kentucky abortion ultrasound bill
The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled Thursday that a Kentucky law requiring a doctor to perform an ultrasound prior to performing an abortion does not violate their First Amendment rights. Kentucky’s Ultrasound Informed Consent Act requires doctors to perform an ultrasound for pregnant women wishing to have an abortion and play [...]
The Georgia legislature is poised to pass a “fetal heartbeat” law similar to those recently passed in Kentucky and several other states. The bill, which narrowly cleared the House, would prohibit abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected—generally at 6 to 7 weeks into pregnancy. Because pregnancy is generally dated from the last menstrual [...]
The Tennessee House of Representatives approved an abortion bill 93-73 on Thursday that would ban abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat. The bill provides an exception for medical emergencies that may require an abortion. The bill also states that when the fetal heartbeat is detected, the person who discovers the heartbeat must “ecord [...]
A bill that would ban abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat has been moved for a full house vote in Tennessee. The bill proposes a change to the current Tennessee laws on abortion. In particular, the bill prohibits abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat. The bill provides an exception for medical emergencies [...]
