In light of the monumental Supreme Court leak of the draft majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, now is a good time to revisit where the states stand on protecting life.
If the draft majority opinion is any indication of what the Court’s final decision might be, there is certainly cause for cautious optimism in the pro-life movement.
As reported by The Daily Citizen, “Chief Justice John Roberts has confirmed the authenticity of the Alito draft while warning that it is not the court’s final opinion.”
Come this June, or perhaps sooner, the Court will release the final opinion. Votes may change, but if they do not, abortion policy moving forward will be developed on a state-by-state basis.
Pro-life and pro-abortion groups agree that if Roe v. Wade falls, 26 states are already equipped or very likely to restrict abortion early in the pregnancy. Below is a list of pro-life states willing to protect preborn babies.
States that will protect preborn babies:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
States likely to protect preborn babies:
- Florida
- Indiana
- Montana
- Nebraska
Family Research Council has also created an interactive map that outlines pro-life laws in each state and does an excellent job breaking down the policy differences. It also clearly identifies the states that will not protect life under current law. Below is a list of pro-abortion states.
States that will protect abortion:
- Alaska
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
This is the time to pray and stay engaged in pro-life efforts in your state. If Roe is overturned, our work at the state-level to promote the pro-life movement will have more consequence than ever before.
State Family Policy Councils, allies of Focus on the Family, work to pass pro-life and pro-family legislation. Contact Your State Policy Group to learn more about what’s happening in your state and how you can get involved.
Image from NY Post.