Several states have tried to ban abortions as part of emergency orders against elective medical procedures and nonessential businesses. Abortion rights supporters said the changes put unfair burdens on women.
A federal appeals court Monday allowed Texas to briefly stop abortions as part of the state’s coronavirus response, the most extreme shutdown of abortion access allowed by federal courts since the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision declared access to abortion a constitutional right. The ban effectively ended Wednesday when the governor’s order forbidding elective medical procedures expired and was replaced with looser rules.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans allowed medication abortions to proceed the previous week while it considered the matter, then Monday ruled that the state could ban medication abortions in response to coronavirus.
State abortion policies
with regard to covid-19
Full abortion prohibition allowed by court
Surgical procedures restricted or stopped
Attempted restrictions blocked by court
Pending efforts to stop abortions
IA
OH
IN
UT
KY
TN
OK
AR
AL
MS
TX
AK
The effective ban in Texas was lifted Wednesday amid a push to re-open businesses
Data as of April 9
State coronavirus abortion restrictions
Abortion ban allowed by court
Surgical procedures restricted or stopped
Attempted restrictions blocked by court
Pending efforts to stop abortions
IA
OH
IN
UT
KY
TN
OK
AR
AL
MS
TX
AK
The effective ban in Texas was lifted Wednesday amid a push to re-open businesses
Data as of April 9
State coronavirus abortion restrictions
Abortion ban allowed by court
Surgical procedures restricted or stopped
Attempted restrictions blocked by court
Pending efforts to stop abortions
WASH.
MAINE
N.D.
MONT.
VT.
MINN.
ORE.
N.H.
WIS.
IDAHO
MASS.
S.D.
N.Y.
—R.I.
MICH.
WYO.
CONN.
PENN.
IOWA
N.J.
NEV.
NEB.
OHIO
MD.
DEL.
IND.
ILL.
UTAH
D.C.
W.VA.
COLO.
VA.
CALIF.
KAN.
MO.
KY.
N.C.
TENN.
OKLA.
ARIZ.
ARK.
S.C.
N.M.
ALA.
MISS.
GA.
LA.
TEXAS
FLA.
ALASKA
The effective ban in Texas was lifted Wednesday amid a push to re-open businesses
HAWAII
State coronavirus abortion restrictions
Pending efforts
to stop abortions
Attempted restrictions
blocked by court
Surgical procedures
restricted or stopped
Abortion ban
allowed by court
WASH.
MAINE
N.D.
MONT.
VT.
MINN.
ORE.
N.H.
WIS.
IDAHO
MASS.
S.D.
N.Y.
—R.I.
MICH.
WYO.
CONN.
PENN.
IOWA
N.J.
NEV.
NEB.
OHIO
MD.
DEL.
IND.
ILL.
UTAH
D.C.
W.VA.
COLO.
VA.
CALIF.
KAN.
MO.
KY.
N.C.
TENN.
OKLA.
ARIZ.
ARK.
S.C.
N.M.
ALA.
MISS.
GA.
LA.
TEXAS
FLA.
ALASKA
The effective ban in Texas was lifted Wednesday amid a push to re-open businesses
HAWAII
State coronavirus abortion restrictions
Pending efforts
to stop abortions
Attempted restrictions
blocked by court
Surgical procedures
restricted or stopped
Abortion ban
allowed by court
WASH.
MAINE
N.D.
MONT.
VT.
MINN.
ORE.
N.H.
WIS.
IDAHO
MASS.
S.D.
N.Y.
—R.I.
MICH.
WYO.
CONN.
PENN.
IOWA
N.J.
NEV.
NEB.
OHIO
MD.
DEL.
IND.
ILL.
UTAH
D.C.
W.VA.
COLO.
VA.
CALIF.
KAN.
MO.
KY.
N.C.
TENN.
OKLA.
ARIZ.
ARK.
S.C.
N.M.
ALA.
MISS.
GA.
LA.
TEXAS
FLA.
ALASKA
The effective ban in Texas was lifted Wednesday amid a push to re-open businesses
HAWAII
A federal judge in Texas had initially blocked the state’s restrictions, and federal judges in Oklahoma, Alabama and Tennessee have done the same.
In Ohio, federal courts allowed a limit on surgical abortions to remain in place but preserved access to medication abortions. A compromise in Iowa created essentially the same result. In both states, surgery can be done to protect the life of a pregnant woman. Arkansas and Alaska have also restricted surgical abortions while allowing the more common medication abortions used early in pregnancy to continue.
In Kentucky, Republicans led by the newly elected attorney general have sought to include abortion clinics in the prohibition on elective medical procedures, but the Democratic governor and the state Health Department have not done so.
Mississippi, Indiana and Utah have discussed or issued restrictions but clinics remain open so far.
The federal appeals court decision in Texas is based on the governor’s order limiting non-essential medical procedures. That order was set to expire Tuesday, the day after the federal court ruling. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) replaced it with new rules that allow procedures as long as sufficient capacity is left to deal with coronavirus cases. Abortion clinics have remained open saying they fit under the new rules.
The coronavirus-linked restrictions have all followed the trend of recent years in which states in the South and upper Midwest have restricted or attempted to ban abortion, while states on the West and East Coasts have strengthened access to abortion.
State abortion policy landscape
More protections
More restrictions
State abortion policy landscape
More protections
More restrictions
State abortion policy landscape
More protections
More restrictions
Wash.
Maine
N.D.
Mont.
Vt.
Minn.
Ore.
N.H.
Wis.
N.Y.
Idaho
Mass.
S.D.
—r.i.
Conn.
Mich.
Wyo.
Penn.
Iowa
N.J.
Neb.
Nev.
Ind.
Md.
Ohio
Del.
Ill.
Utah
Colo.
W.Va.
Calif.
Va.
Kan.
Mo.
Ky.
N.C.
Tenn.
Ariz.
Okla.
Ark.
S.C.
N.M.
Miss.
Ala.
Ga.
Texas
La.
Fla.
Alaska
Hawaii
State abortion policy landscape
More protections
More restrictions
Wash.
Maine
N.D.
Mont.
Vt.
Minn.
Ore.
N.H.
Wis.
N.Y.
Idaho
Mass.
S.D.
—r.i.
Conn.
Mich.
Wyo.
Penn.
Iowa
N.J.
Neb.
Nev.
Ind.
Md.
Ohio
Del.
Ill.
Utah
Colo.
W.Va.
Calif.
Va.
Kan.
Mo.
Ky.
N.C.
Tenn.
Ariz.
Okla.
Ark.
S.C.
N.M.
Miss.
Ala.
Ga.
Texas
La.
Fla.
Alaska
Hawaii
This map portrays an assessment of the access to abortion in every state as measured by the Guttmacher Institute, an organization focused on reproductive health whose research is widely used. The institute evaluated a mix of standards for restricting or supporting abortion access, grading each state on a spectrum. Over the past several years, states that restrict abortion have increased restrictions, while other states have increased protections, creating a widening gap in abortion access.
Guttmacher does not include a grade for the District of Columbia, said Elizabeth Nash, who oversees state issues, because Congress can override laws passed by the D.C. Council, and federal appropriations have imposed policies on the District.
Source: Guttmacher Institute, news reports
