Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

States May Ban Abortion If Roe Overturned
Yahoo.com ^ | 10-5-04 | Jim Abrams

Posted on 10/05/2004 9:58:01 AM PDT by SmithPatterson

States May Ban Abortion if Roe Overturned

By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Thirty states are poised to make abortion illegal within a year if the Supreme Court reversed its 1973 ruling establishing a woman's legal right to an abortion, an advocacy group said Tuesday.

The Center for Reproductive Rights said some states have old laws on the books that would be triggered by the overturning of the landmark Roe v. Wade (news - web sites) decision. Others have language in their state constitutions or strongly anti-abortion legislatures that would act quickly if the federal protection for abortion was ended and the issue reverted to the states.

"The building blocks are already in place to recriminalize abortion," said Nancy Northup, the center's president.

The group's report comes less than a month before the presidential election, which those on both sides of the abortion issue say will be critical in determining the future of the Roe decision.

Currently, it is believed that five of the nine justices support abortion rights, but that balance could be tipped if President Bush (news - web sites), in a second term, nominates a new justice who reflects his anti-abortion views. Democratic contender John Kerry (news - web sites) is a strong supporter of abortion rights.

The center found that 18 states had pre-Roe laws totally or partially banning abortion. In some cases those laws have been blocked by a court, but could easily be revived if Roe were overturned. Alabama is one state where the abortion ban was never enjoined by the courts, and could be immediately enforced.

Other states such as Ohio don't have abortion bans, but both the legislature and the governor oppose abortion and without Roe there would likely be a rush to pass legislation banning abortion, the center said.

It concluded that 21 states are at high risk, and nine states at middle risk, of banning abortion within a year of Roe being overturned. More than 70 million women of childbearing age would be affected, the center said.

Another 20 states, including Massachusetts, which has a pre-Roe ban, would likely retain abortion rights because of other statutory protections or the makeup of their legislatures.

"We are really, I think, in some peril now," said Rep. Louise Slaughter, R-N.Y., one of 11 abortion rights lawmakers to attend the center's Capitol Hill news conference.

The only Republican was Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn., who said that Roe v. Wade was "an extraordinarily important document" and "we need to elect more pro-choice Republicans to the Congress."

The 21 states considered at high risk of banning abortion were: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The nine at middle risk: Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

The 20 at lower risk: Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

___


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-23 last
To: NutCrackerBoy

not really - the smart ones should know that abortion is a states rights issue and there is nothing in the consitution giving the federal government the power to either outlaw abortions or keep states from outlawing abortions.


21 posted on 10/05/2004 11:13:07 AM PDT by flashbunny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SmithPatterson

Good! States are supposed to ban MURDER!! I think the 14th Amendment doesn't even allow states to legalize murder. Thus, overturning Roe should require states to ban abortion. But that is just one law student's opinion.


22 posted on 10/05/2004 11:13:15 AM PDT by Clump
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sittnick
this young generation was raised by more who were not too keen on the idea (for whatever reason). It has been suggested that today's young adults often have ultrasound pictures of themselves.

To put it bluntly, it could have been us; every child born after legalised abortion should know that.
23 posted on 10/05/2004 12:30:25 PM PDT by tjwmason (Coerced and bribed window-dressing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-23 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson