Tracking Abortion Bans Across the Country (2024)

Alabama

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances.

Arkansas

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances.

Idaho

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances. In 2023, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled there is no constitutional right to an abortion. In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether the state’s ban violates a federal law requiring emergency care for any patient, including abortions for pregnant women in dire situations.

Indiana

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances. In 2023, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the state’s abortion ban did not violate the state Constitution. A separate challenge to the ban, by residents who argue it violates their religious rights, is ongoing.

Kentucky

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances. In 2022, voters rejected a ballot measure that would have amended the state Constitution to say it contains no right to an abortion.

Louisiana

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances.

Mississippi

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances.

Missouri

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances.

North Dakota

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances.

Oklahoma

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances.

South Dakota

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances.

Tennessee

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances.

Texas

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances. Private citizens can sue abortion providers and those who assist patients seeking an abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy.

West Virginia

Banned

Abortion is banned in almost all circ*mstances.

Florida

Gestational limit

6 weeks

Abortion is banned after about six weeks of pregnancy. The Florida Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that the state Constitution’s privacy protections do not extend to abortion, overturning decades of legal precedent and allowing the ban to take effect.

Georgia

Gestational limit

6 weeks

Abortion is banned after about six weeks of pregnancy. In 2023, the State Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s ruling that the ban was void. The lower court must still weigh whether the ban violates the state’s Constitution.

South Carolina

Gestational limit

6 weeks

Abortion is banned after about six weeks of pregnancy. The South Carolina Supreme Court upheld the ban in 2023, after ruling earlier in the year that a similar ban from 2021 was unconstitutional.

Nebraska

Gestational limit

12 weeks

Abortion is banned after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Gov. Jim Pillen signed the ban in 2023, after weeks of debate in the unicameral Legislature and a failed attempt to pass a six-week ban.

North Carolina

Gestational limit

12 weeks

Abortion is banned after 12 weeks of pregnancy. A federal judge temporarily blocked a provision that providers said could have limited their ability to offer the abortion pill to patients in the first weeks of pregnancy.

Arizona

Gestational limit

15 weeks

Abortion is banned after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Officials warned that a near-total ban on abortions from 1864 may be briefly enforceable this summer until a repeal of that law, passed in May, takes effect in the fall.

Utah

Gestational limit

18 weeks

Abortion is banned after 18 weeks of pregnancy. In 2023, a judge temporarily blocked a law that would have halted most abortions in the state by requiring the procedure to be performed in hospitals. A separate ban on most abortions was indefinitely blocked by a judge in 2022, and the State Supreme Court is expected to rule on that ban in 2024.

Iowa

Ban blocked

22 weeks

An Iowa district court temporarily blocked a ban on abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy, after lawmakers passed the ban in July 2023. The State Supreme Court is expected to rule on that ban by June. In 2023, a deadlocked State Supreme Court kept a nearly identical six-week ban from 2018 permanently blocked.

Montana

Ban blocked

Viability

The Legislature passed 10 anti-abortion laws in 2023, including a ban on the most commonly used procedure in the second trimester. That restriction and several others have been blocked by a court. The Montana Supreme Court has ruled that the state Constitution protects the right to an abortion.

Wyoming

Ban blocked

Viability

In 2023, a judge in Wyoming temporarily blocked an abortion ban that briefly took effect that year and temporarily blocked a separate law that explicitly banned the use of abortion pills. A ban on most abortions that was enacted earlier and triggered by the Dobbs decision remains indefinitely blocked.

Alaska

Legal

No gestational limit

The state’s Supreme Court has recognized a right to “reproductive choice” under the state Constitution.

Kansas

Legal

22 weeks

The state’s Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that a pregnant woman’s right to personal autonomy is protected in the state Constitution, and Kansans voted in 2022 to reject a ballot measure that would have amended the state Constitution to say it contains no right to an abortion. State funds cannot be used to cover the cost of most abortions, and the state has enacted restrictions that limit access to the procedure.

New Hampshire

Legal

24 weeks

Abortion will most likely stay accessible, though it is not expressly protected by state law and state funds cannot be used to cover the cost of most abortions. The state repealed a pre-Roe ban on abortion in 1997.

Ohio

Legal

22 weeks

Voters enshrined abortion protections in the state Constitution in 2023. Courts are still deciding how the amendment affects an existing ban on abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy that had been blocked.

Virginia

Legal

Viability

Abortion will most likely stay accessible, though it is not expressly protected by state law and state funds cannot be used to cover the cost of most abortions.

Wisconsin

Legal

22 weeks

In late 2023, a Wisconsin judge ruled than an 1849 law widely interpreted as an abortion ban did not apply to abortion. The case may come before the State Supreme Court, which now has a liberal majority.

Washington, D.C.

Legal with new protections

No gestational limit

Local law protects abortion throughout pregnancy, and a 2023 law shields providers and patients from legal action brought by other jurisdictions. Congress prohibits the use of taxpayer funds to cover the cost of most abortions in the city.

California

Legal with new protections

Viability

Voters enshrined abortion protections in the state Constitution in 2022. State law protects abortion, and in 2022 and 2023 the governor signed bills to shield patients and providers from laws in other states.

Colorado

Legal with new protections

No gestational limit

State law protects abortion, but a 1984 law prohibits using state funds to cover the cost of most abortions. A 2023 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in Colorado from laws in other states.

Connecticut

Legal with new protections

Viability

State law protects abortion. A law expanding which clinicians can provide abortions took effect in 2022. That law and another enacted in 2023 shield providers and patients from out-of-state lawsuits.

Delaware

Legal with new protections

Viability

State law protects abortion, but state funds cannot be used to cover the cost of the procedure. A 2022 law expanded access to providers and shields those seeking or providing abortions in Delaware from laws in other states.

Hawaii

Legal with new protections

Viability

State law protects abortion, and a new law has expanded access to providers. A 2023 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in Hawaii from laws in other states.

Illinois

Legal with new protections

Viability

The state’s Supreme Court has recognized abortion protections under the state Constitution, and state law protects the procedure. A law signed in 2023 shields those seeking or providing abortions in Illinois from laws in other states.

Maine

Legal with new protections

Viability

State law protects abortion. A 2024 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in Maine from laws in other states. A 2023 law allows an abortion past the point of viability if a doctor decides it is medically necessary.

Maryland

Legal with new protections

Viability

State law protects abortion, and recent laws have increased access to providers and insurance coverage. A 2023 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in Maryland from laws in other states.

Massachusetts

Legal with new protections

24 weeks

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has recognized the right to abortion under the state Constitution. A 2022 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in Massachusetts from laws in other states, regardless of the patient’s location.

Michigan

Legal with new protections

Viability

Voters enshrined abortion protections in the state Constitution in November 2022. A 2022 executive order shields those seeking or providing abortions in Michigan from laws in other states.

Minnesota

Legal with new protections

No gestational limit

The state’s Supreme Court has recognized the right to abortion under the state Constitution, and in 2023 the state enacted a law to enshrine the right to reproductive care. A 2023 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in Minnesota from laws in other states

Nevada

Legal with new protections

24 weeks

State law protects abortion, but state funds cannot be used to cover the cost of most abortions. A 2023 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in Nevada from laws in other states.

New Jersey

Legal with new protections

No gestational limit

State law protects abortion throughout pregnancy. A 2022 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in New Jersey from laws in other states.

New Mexico

Legal with new protections

No gestational limit

A 2023 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in New Mexico from laws in other states.

New York

Legal with new protections

Viability

State law protects abortion. In 2022, the governor signed several bills to shield patients and providers from laws in other states.

Oregon

Legal with new protections

No gestational limit

State law protects abortion throughout pregnancy. A 2023 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in Oregon from laws in other states.

Pennsylvania

Legal with new protections

24 weeks

In 2022, the governor issued an executive order that shields those seeking or providing abortions in Pennsylvania from laws in other states. State funds cannot be used to cover the cost of most abortions.

Rhode Island

Legal with new protections

Viability

State law protects abortion, but state funds cannot be used to cover the cost of most abortions. In 2022, the governor issued an executive order to shield those seeking or providing abortions in Rhode Island from laws in other states.

Vermont

Legal with new protections

No gestational limit

Voters enshrined abortion protections in the state Constitution in November 2022. State law also protects abortion throughout pregnancy. Two 2023 laws shield those seeking or providing abortions in Vermont from laws in other states, and they include protection for those using medication abortion.

Washington

Legal with new protections

Viability

State law protects abortion, and recent laws have expanded access to providers. A 2023 law shields those seeking or providing abortions in Washington from laws in other states.

Tracking Abortion Bans Across the Country (2024)

FAQs

What states are best for women's reproductive rights? ›

In general, reproductive rights are strongest in the Mid-Atlantic region, New England, and the West. In addition to Oregon, the top ten jurisdictions include California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Washington.

Is abortion legal in New York? ›

New York made abortion legal in 1970 – three years before Roe v. Wade. In 2019, New York passed the Reproductive Health Act to protect access to reproductive rights throughout the state and make the right to abortion found in Roe v. Wade part of state law.

How many countries is abortion legal in? ›

As of 2023, 67 countries have legalized or decriminalized abortion on request. Where a country has legalized abortion on request, prohibited it, and legalized it again (e.g., former Soviet Union, Romania), only the later year is included.

Is abortion legal in Michigan? ›

Abortion is legally recognized as a protected right in Michigan, and you have a right to abortion services in this state. Planned Parenthood of Michigan (PPMI) offers unbiased, accurate information about the options available for pregnancy termination.

What is the most feminist state in the US? ›

Our new and comprehensive measure of women's rights and opportunities in the United States reveals vast differences across the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with Massachusetts at the top, scoring almost four times better than Louisiana at the bottom.

What is the most gender equal state? ›

The state of Maryland ranks No. 1 in the list, Best States for Gender Equality, recently released by the U.S. News & World Report. The ranking is based on five categories: education, economy, health, representation and power, and family planning and care.

Are abortions legal in Texas? ›

Texas laws ban nearly all abortions unless, “in the exercise of a reasonable medical judgment,” a doctor determines that the patient is experiencing “a life-threatening physical condition aggravated by, caused by, or arising from a pregnancy that places the female at risk of death or poses a serious risk of substantial ...

Is abortion legal in Pennsylvania? ›

What is Pennsylvania's abortion law? Pregnancies can be ended in the commonwealth up to 24 weeks gestation, a deadline tied to the concept of viability that was introduced in 1973's Roe v. Wade. Abortions can be performed after that cutoff if a pregnant person's life or health is in danger.

Who pays for abortions in New York? ›

If you are pregnant and live in New York, you may have health insurance options. New York State Medicaid will pay for the care you receive while pregnant, including abortion care. Pregnant New Yorkers can qualify for Medicaid at higher income levels and regardless of immigration status.

Is abortion legal in South Korea? ›

Abortion in South Korea was decriminalized, effective 1 January 2021, by a 2019 order of the Constitutional Court of Korea. It is currently legal throughout pregnancy, as no new law has been enacted. Thus there are no gestational limits or other restrictions.

Is abortion legal in Turkey? ›

Abortion in Turkey has been legal on request since May 27, 1983. Abortion is legal up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, and in special circ*mstances the time threshold can be extended if there is danger to the woman's life or the life of the fetus.

What are women's reproductive rights? ›

California has strong laws in place protecting reproductive freedom, including the right to safe and legal abortion. In California: You have the right to an abortion. You do not need to provide a reason for why you are seeking an abortion.

Are abortions legal in Illinois? ›

Illinois law ensures that abortion is legal for all people. Know your rights when accessing abortion care in Illinois: In Illinois you have the fundamental right to make decisions about your reproductive health care.

Is abortion legal in Tennessee? ›

Abortion is completely banned in Tennessee because of a state law that has gone into effect.

Is abortion legal in Massachusetts? ›

Yes. Abortion is legal in Massachusetts. However, Massachusetts bans abortion after 26 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy and has some other restrictions on abortion access. To figure out how far along you are in pregnancy, count from the first day of your last period.

What is the best state for reproductive rights? ›

BEST STATES FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

The five highest-ranked states in the Reproductive Rights Index are New Jersey, California, Washington, Oregon, and Connecticut. Since 2015, when the Index was last published, the states of Connecticut, California, and Washington rose in the rankings.

What states have the most reproductive rights? ›

In a recent ranking by the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR), Oregon was chosen as the best state for women's reproductive rights, and for good reason.

What is a reproductive freedom state? ›

Statutory Right to Choose: California's Reproductive Privacy Act prohibits the State of California from denying or interfering with a woman's right to choose or obtain an abortion prior to fetal viability, or after fetal viability to protect the life or health of the woman.

What are the 12 reproductive rights? ›

– The Right to Life – The Right to Liberty and Security of the Person – The Right to Health – The Right to Decide the Number and Spacing of Children – The Right to Consent to Marriage and Equality in Marriage – The Right to Privacy – The Right to Equality and Non-Discrimination – The Right to be Free from Practices ...

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