The Supreme Court issued the biggest decision of its term on Friday when it overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion.
The decision came more than a month after a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion indicated that the high court would overturn the 1973 landmark decision. Opponents of abortion rights celebrated while those in favor of access to the procedure despaired over what a post-Roe future will look like.
With the decision on how to regulate abortion left to the states, a patchwork of laws is emerging as some states move to ban or limit abortion while others rush to create additional protections for people who perform or obtain the procedure.
It is expected that abortion could be banned or severely restricted in about half the states.
More than a dozen states had “trigger” laws in place before the Friday ruling, designed to ban or seriously restrict abortion as soon as Roe was overturned. Some of those bans have already gone into effect while others are likely to become effective in a matter of days or weeks.
Here are the states that have already banned or restricted abortion:
June 24
Missouri
Missouri became among the first states to effectively end abortions when state Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R) “triggered” legislation banning the medical procedure by issuing an opinion certifying Roe had been overturned just hours after the Supreme Court ruling.
Louisiana
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry (R) confirmed that its trigger law went into effect after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. According to the text of that legislation, one of the circumstances in which the law goes into effect is if the Supreme Court partly or fully reverses the 1973 landmark decision, which would give states the authority over whether to allow the medical procedure.
South Dakota
South Dakota’s trigger law became effective on Friday. Text from the state’s legislation notes the trigger ban becomes effect the same day that the Supreme Court gives states the rights to choose abortion enforcement policies.
Kentucky
Kentucky’s trigger law went into effect on Friday, with the legislation’s text noting that it could become effective immediately should Roe v. Wade be partly or fully reversed by the Supreme Court.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is now enforcing its abortion ban after Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor (R) certified to top officials in the state and its legislature that Roe v. Wade had been overturned by the high court. He notified officials that they would be allowed to begin enforcing its trigger law.
Ohio
Ohio’s abortion ban is now law after a court dissolved an injunction against the legislation.
Arkansas
Arkansas initiated its trigger law after state Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (R) certified following the Supreme Court’s decision that it had overturned Roe v. Wade.
