On February 6, 2026, newly-elected Governor Abigail Spanberger signed four bills to place constitutional amendments on Virginia’s ballot this November. Two of the proposed amendments would protect reproductive rights and same-sex marriage. The other two would restore voting rights to former incarcerated individuals and change the state’s redistricting process. Together, these measures center on one […]
Arizona Court Strikes Down Abortion Restrictions After Voter Amendment
On February 6, an Arizona state court struck down several abortion restrictions, ruling that they violated an abortion rights amendment. This amendment, Proposition 139, Right to Abortion Initiative, was approved by voters in 2024. The case, Isaacson v. Arizona, was brought by a group of physicians, the Arizona Medical Association, and other medical organizations. They […]
Shield Laws vs. Vigilante Lawsuits: The New Abortion Battleground
A new threat to abortion rights is emerging nationwide: the ability of private citizens to sue over out-of-state abortion care. Jerry Rodriguez, a Texas citizen, has sued Remy Coeytaux, a doctor who practices in California, for prescribing abortion pills to Rodriguez’s girlfriend on two separate occasions. While this lawsuit may be the first of its […]
Wyoming Court Delivers Major Victory for Abortion Access
As of January 6, abortion remains legal in Wyoming after the Wyoming Supreme Court struck down two state laws aimed at banning abortion in State v. Johnson. One of the overturned laws sought to ban abortion except to save a pregnant woman’s life or in cases involving rape or incest. The other would have been […]
New South Carolina Bill Sparks Concern Over Criminalization of Abortion and Contraception
In South Carolina, the state legislature is currently considering a bill that poses an immediate threat to the reproductive rights of millions. The Unborn Child Protection Act is aimed at creating and regulating stricter access to abortions and contraceptives at large. The bill aims to define stricter limits on reproductive rights language, as well as […]
Medication Abortion Under Siege: New Texas Law Empowers Private Citizens to Challenge Access
On Wednesday, September 3rd, Texas lawmakers approved a bill that would allow private citizens to sue abortion pill manufacturers, doctors, and suppliers. House Bill 7 is likely to be signed into law by anti-abortion Governor Greg Abbot, making Texas the first state in the nation to go after the most common and accessible abortion method. […]
Massachusetts Expands Protections for Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Care
Despite rapidly escalating cuts to reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has signed a groundbreaking new act that will expand and add protections to reproductive and transgender healthcare. The bill, S.2538, takes several actions to safeguard patients, providers, insurers, tech companies, and others from federal investigations related to reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare. S.2538, […]
Oklahoma Funnels Millions to Anti-Abortion Nonprofits
An Oklahoma anti-abortion nonprofit received a lucrative payout from the State Department of Health in 2024 and is now reporting its impact. The Oklahoma Life Foundation (OKLF) advocates for anti-abortion policies and services. Supporting crisis pregnancy centers, also known to abortion rights activists as “fake clinics,” OKLF perpetuates misinformation about pregnancy and contraception. Oklahoma’s Choosing […]
Wisconsin Supreme Court Strikes Down 1849 Abortion Ban
Wisconsin’s Supreme Court has struck down one of the country’s oldest abortion bans, a major win for reproductive rights in a state where access has been under legal threat for years. In a 4–3 decision released July 2, the court’s liberal majority ruled that the 1849 statute banning nearly all abortions is no longer enforceable. […]
Supreme Court Reopens Challenge to New York Abortion Coverage Rule
The Supreme Court has revived a legal challenge to a New York state regulation that requires employers to cover abortion services in employee health insurance plans. In a brief, unsigned order issued on June 17, the justices instructed a lower court to reconsider the case brought by a group of Catholic organizations, including the Roman […]
Judge Strikes Down Federal Rules Requiring Paid Time Off for Abortions
On Wednesday, May 21, a federal judge in Louisiana struck down regulations that require most U.S. employers to provide their employees with time off and other accommodations for abortions. Abortions are one of many pregnancy-related medical conditions covered under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which passed in December 2022 with the goal of improving the […]
Missouri Lawmakers Aim to Undo Abortion Protections Passed by Voters
Last November, 52% of Missouri voters passed Amendment 3 to the state constitution, presenting a beacon of hope for women’s bodily autonomy post-Dobbs. The amendment guaranteed abortion rights up to fetal viability—generally considered around 24 weeks of pregnancy—along with fundamental reproductive freedoms such as birth control, pre- and post-natal care, and “respectful” birthing conditions. However, […]
Forced Birth After Death: The Cruel Reality of Georgia’s Abortion Law
In Georgia, 30-year-old nurse and mother, Adriana Smith, has become the latest victim of extremist abortion laws that dehumanize women under the guise of protecting life. After suffering a massive brain hemorrhage while nine weeks pregnant, Smith was declared brain-dead in February. But due to Georgia’s restrictive six-week abortion ban, she has remained on life […]
Texas Midwife’s Arrest Marks a Chilling Escalation in the War on Abortion Rights
In a move that underscores the alarming consequences of Texas’ near-total abortion ban, state Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced the arrest of Maria Margarita Rojas, a midwife accused of providing illegal abortion services. The charges of illegal performance of an abortion and practicing medicine without a license could lead to decades behind bars for […]
Pennsylvania Court Case Could Reshape the State’s Medicaid Abortion Coverage
On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania re-heard a civil case against the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. The case, Allegheny Reproductive Health Center v. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, represents a decades-long fight by reproductive health organizations to remove Medicaid restrictions on abortion funding. Medicaid is a government-funded health insurance program that […]
Missouri Republican Introduces Federal Abortion Ban in the House
Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) has introduced a new bill in the House, the so-called “Life at Conception Act” (HR 722), which would ban abortion across the nation. According to a press release from Burlison’s office on Jan. 24, “This landmark legislation declares that unborn children are ‘persons’ under the 14th Amendment to the United States […]
Trump’s Pardons of 23 Antiabortion Extremists Endanger Providers and Patients
Capitol Police prepare to arrest Lauren Handy, third from left, of Anti-Choice Project D.C., and other antiabortion demonstrators, who participated in a “pray-in” outside the office of then-Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to protest a canceled House vote that would ban abortions after 20 weeks on March 25, 2015. (Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call) *adapted […]
Senate Hearing Revisits the ‘Born-Alive’ Bill
Photo from Unsplash On January 22, 2025, the Senate revisited the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act,” introduced by Senators Roger Marshall and James Lankford (R-OK), during a contentious hearing. This legislation, which mirrors similar efforts in the House, seeks to reinforce protections for infants after “attempted abortions.” However, the bill has drawn criticism for being […]
What Just Happened? Insights from the Post-Election 2024 Panel Discussion
On November 12th, an all-woman panel convened at American University to unpack the results of the 2024 elections at the event titled “What Just Happened?: Voting is over — What Did We Learn from Election 2024?” Moderated by Betsy Fischer Martin, Executive Director of the AU School of Public Affairs Women & Politics Institute, the […]
Abortion Rights Win Big in Seven States Despite Challenges
Despite the disappointing election results, valuable ground was gained for the pro-abortion movement. Of the 10 states where abortion was on the ballot, seven passed referendums supporting abortion rights. These states are now taking legal action to remove barriers and enshrine abortion rights in their state constitutions. Abortion Wins Across Seven States Arizona:Arizona voters successfully […]