Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
West Virginia Passes Abortion Ban, Is Second State To Do So Since Roe's Fall
The Hill: West Virginia Legislature Approves Abortion Ban, Headed To Governor For Signature
West Virginia’s legislature approved a sweeping abortion ban on Tuesday, only allowing the procedure in cases of medical emergencies, rape and incest. The bill, known as HB 302, will now head to the desk of Gov. Jim Justice (R), who called a special session of the legislature in July to “clarify and modernize” the state’s abortion laws in the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. (Gans, 9/13)
The Washington Post: West Virginia Lawmakers Pass Abortion Ban
The West Virginia legislature Tuesday passed a bill to prohibit nearly all abortions, making it the second state to pass a new ban since the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade in June. ... West Virginia Republicans moved forward with the strict ban despite signs in other parts of the country that many American voters do not support the Supreme Court’s ruling and largely oppose the harshest restrictions on abortion. A similar effort to pass a near-total abortion ban in South Carolina fizzled out last week, and voters resoundingly rejected a ballot measure in Kansas that would have stripped abortion protections from the state constitution. (Shepherd, 9/13)
Indiana's abortion ban goes into effect tomorrow —
NPR: The First Abortion Ban Passed After Roe Takes Effect Thursday In Indiana
The first new abortion ban passed by a state legislature since the overturning of Roe v. Wade this summer is set to take effect Thursday in Indiana. Indiana lawmakers passed legislation banning most abortions in a special session in early August. It includes narrow exceptions for rape, incest, and certain serious medical complications and emergencies. (McCammon, 9/14)
In abortion updates from California —
AP: California Launches Website Promoting Abortion Services
California launched a publicly funded website Tuesday to promote the state’s abortion services, listing clinics, linking to financial help for travel and lodging and letting teenagers in other states know they don’t need their parents’ permission to get an abortion in the state. The website is part of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s pledge to make California a sanctuary for women seeking abortions now that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade — the landmark 1973 decision that said states could not ban abortion. (Beam, 9/13)
Bay Area News Group: Newsom Unveils Website To Smooth Access To California Abortions
Abortion.ca.gov allows users to search for an abortion provider near them, while also providing information about abortion rights, the different types of abortions, how to pay for the procedure and more. The website has resources both for people living in California and those coming from states where abortions have been restricted or banned, such as Texas, Tennessee and Alabama. It is available in Spanish, and will be translated into additional languages as well, according to the governor’s office. (Kendall, 9/13)
From Iowa, Texas, and elsewhere —
AP: Iowa Abortion Providers Say No Basis To Enact Near Ban
Lawyers for Iowa’s largest abortion provider argued in court documents Tuesday that there’s no precedent or legal support for bringing back a law banning most abortions, which a judge had permanently blocked in 2019. Planned Parenthood’s lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa were responding in state court filings to arguments made by lawyers for Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds last month. (Pitt, 9/13)
The Texas Tribune: Fetal Personhood Law Is Complex And Texas Is Only Beginning To Untangle It
During the 1960s and ’70s, abortion opponents pushed for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would define life as beginning at the point of fertilization. Such an amendment would have automatically criminalized abortion across the country. But it would also raise all sorts of new questions such as whether a fetus should be included when determining child tax credits, in census counts — or even as a passenger in an HOV lane. Critics say that lawmakers haven’t fully considered these legal questions. Georgia is the only state with a “fetal personhood law” in effect, according to The Guttmacher Institute, and that state is still trying to figure out exactly how to apply that law. (Salhotra, 9/13)
CNN: The Fight For Abortion Rights In The US Is All Over The Map
Good luck trying to keep on top of the fight for abortion rights in the US. It’s everywhere, all over the map, and it’s all happening right now. (Wolf, 9/14)
Newsweek: Abortion Clinics Rush To Relocate To Friendlier Border Towns As Bans Start
Oregon. Minnesota. Illinois. New Mexico. Anticipating a wave of women willing to cross borders to get an abortion, these abortion-friendly states are permitting a string of new clinics to open on their periphery. ... Some critics have labeled this the new "abortion tourism," creating regional abortion outposts next to states where the procedure has been outlawed. (Duin, 9/13)
