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4 anti-abortion bills to watch right now — with no exception for rape, incest, or ectopic pregnancies, and cash rewards for citizens who sue abortion providers

Mar 24, 2022, 23:08 IST
Insider
Abortion-rights activists and anti-abortion activists protest alongside each other during a demonstration outside of the Supreme Court on October 4, 2021.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
  • SCOTUS will decide whether to overturn Roe v. Wade, a case that made abortion rights federally legal, this summer.
  • State lawmakers are proposing abortion bans that could go into effect if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
  • Idaho passed a law Thursday banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, except for in cases of rape or incest.
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If Roe v. Wade is overturned this summer by the Supreme Court, a number of state lawmakers' abortion ban bills could become law.

12 states have already ratified bills that would go into effect immediately if Roe v. Wade is reversed, Insider previously reported. In addition to these existing "trigger laws," as they are colloquially known, state legislators continue to propose new anti-abortion bills.

Idaho's governor signed a Texas-style abortion bill into law Thursday, banning the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy.

Though some have yet to be accepted, abortion advocates say bills proposed by states like Missouri, Tennessee, and Ohio are some of the strictest they've seen.

Missouri wants to ban abortion for ectopic pregnancies

In March, Missouri state representative Brian Seitz proposed an abortion bill that would criminalize all abortions after 10 weeks of pregnancy. There would be no exceptions for ectopic pregnancies, which can be deadly for pregnant people if left untreated, Insider previously reported.

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If the bill, called House Bill No. 2810, becomes law, anyone who violates it — through selling, buying, or using abortion care devices or drugs — could go to prison for up to 15 years.

If a person is found performing an abortion or seeking one due to an ectopic pregnancy, they could go to prison for up to 30 years, the bill says. There's no exception for sex trafficking victims who request an abortion after an ectopic pregnancy, Insider previously reported.

Tennessee lawmakers proposed a ban on all abortions

Tennessee state representative Rebecca Alexander is sponsoring a bill that would ban all abortions if it goes into effect.

The bill mimics a standing "heartbeat bill" in Texas, where abortions are banned after six weeks of pregnancy, and private citizens can sue anyone they deem to be breaking the law.

Under the Tennessee bill, all abortions, including those in cases of rape and incest, would be illegal. The state would reward $10,000 to citizens who successfully sue doctors, abortion seekers, and anyone who helps these parties obtain an abortion.

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A person couldn't sue an abortion provider if they got someone pregnant through rape, sexual assault, or incest. But a rapist's family could bring a civil action lawsuit in these cases, according to the bill.

Idaho banned abortion after 6 weeks of pregnancy

Republican Gov. Brad Little signed a Texas-style abortion law on Thursday, which bans the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, except in cases of rape or incest, according to the AP.

For rape and incest cases, abortion seekers must provide a police report to prove they're eligible to end their pregnancy.

The law includes a provision that allows family members to sue health providers who perform abortions after a heartbeat is detected in an embryo.

In Texas, for example, anyone in the state can sue. But in Idaho, only the family of a "preborn child" can sue, and they can only sue the abortion provider, not the person seeking the abortion. The state will award successful plaintiffs up to $20,000 and cover their legal fees.

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The law also asks private citizens to take legal action against fellow Idahoans who break it, much like the Texas and Tennessee bills, but is more specific in its lawsuit requirements, the New York Times reported.

The law will go into effect 30 days after signing.

Ohio lawmakers proposed an all-out abortion ban

Lawmakers first proposed the bill, called HB 480, in December.

Like Texas' six-week ban, the Ohio ban would incentivize residents to sue anyone involved in helping another person get an abortion. If a plaintiff wins in court, the state would award them $10,000.

Under the Ohio bill, there would be no exceptions, regardless of pregnancy timeline, rape, incest, or a mother's medical emergency, Insider previously reported.

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