Three states – Kentucky, Louisiana and South Dakota – have so-called “trigger bans” that take effect automatically with the Supreme Court’s annulment of Roe v. Wade on Friday, a 1973 ruling establishing a constitutional right to abortion. Ten other states have bans on triggers with enforcement mechanisms that occur after a certain period or after a step taken by a state government entity. Among the states with a ban on triggering in the latter category, Missouri has already made the necessary steps to implement the abortion ban, with Attorney General Eric Schmidt announcing on Friday that he has taken the certification step required by Missouri law.
Oklahoma, which recently introduced a law banning most abortions, has also taken a step to enforce the trigger ban, according to the state’s attorney general’s office. Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge also certified a state ban on activation, allowing it to take effect on Friday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said.
In Texas, where the trigger ban must be enforced on the 30th day after the Supreme Court ruling (a court move that will take place in the coming weeks), Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that local prosecutors could now begin to impose an abortion ban adopted by the state prior to Roe’s decision. Other states have abortion bans that have been blocked by courts that cited Roe’s guarantee of the right to abortion. These states can act quickly to overturn these court orders so that these restrictions take effect. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey cited a court order that lifted the state’s abortion ban in 2019 and said in a statement that Alabama “will immediately ask the court to remove all legal barriers to enforcing the law.”
Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slater III said that in addition to enforcing the restraining order, which is due to take effect after 30 days, the state has asked the appellate court to overturn the detention imposed on a measure banning abortions of about six weeks after pregnancy.
Elsewhere in the country, state parliaments will soon be convened again to pass strict abortion laws that would previously be in conflict with Roe.
Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb is calling for a return to the July 6 General Assembly so lawmakers can review anti-abortion legislation.
EXPLANATION: This story has been updated to describe more clearly when the Texas ban will take effect. This is the 30th day after the Supreme Court issued its decision, a court move that follows the decision.
This story was also updated with further developments on Friday.
CNN’s Tammy Luby and Avery Lotz contributed to this report.
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