NATIONAL NEWS

How abortion laws will change in states surrounding Utah

Jun 24, 2022, 4:05 PM
Abortion-rights and Anti-Abortion rights activists fill first street in front of the U.S. Supreme C...
Abortion-rights and Anti-Abortion rights activists fill first street in front of the U.S. Supreme Court after the announcement to the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling on June 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. The Court's decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health overturns the landmark 50-year-old Roe v Wade case and erases a federal right to an abortion. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

SALT LAKE CITY — The Supreme Court opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health removes the right to abortion at the federal level, which has been in place for almost 50 years.

As laws surrounding abortion shift to the state level, access will vary widely.

Abortion in Utah will now be illegal in most cases. Here’s a look at how laws will change in surrounding states.

Wyoming

Previous law: Abortion legal up to fetal viability.

Trigger law: Bans abortion with exceptions for sexual assault, incest or “substantial and irreversible physical impairment of major bodily function” to the mother with no exceptions for fetal birth defects.

Currently, the Wyoming Attorney General has 30 days to review the SCOTUS opinion and report to the Joint Judiciary Interim Committee and governor.

Minors must have written consent from parents to have an abortion performed, and parents must have written notification 48 hours in advance of the procedure.

Penalties for those performing an illegal abortion face a felony charge and up to 14 years in prison.

Idaho

Previous law: Abortion legal up to 20 weeks gestational age.

Trigger law: Bans abortion with exceptions for sexual assault, incest and threat of health of mother. Sexual assaults must be reported to law enforcement and a copy of the police report given to the providing physician.

Idaho has a 24-hour waiting period requirement between the consultation and procedure. The woman must be provided with a photo of the fetus, description of gestational development in two week intervals, other options besides abortion, description of procedure at various stages of gestational development, all foreseeable risks and complications from abortion procedure, and information on medical abortion and its possible reversal.

Those who provide illegal abortions in Idaho can be charged with a felony.

Currently, a recent law outlawing abortion after six weeks gestational age has been tied up in the Idaho Supreme Court. This law would also allow the would-be family of the unborn fetus to sue the abortion provider for damages, at a minimum of $20,000, within four years of the abortion. It is unclear as to whether this lawsuit will be dropped.

Nevada

Current law: Abortion legal up to 24 weeks gestational age. Abortions after that are limited to situations where the mother’s life is endangered.

Trigger law: None.

Nevada codified its abortion laws 30 years ago through a ballot initiative that passed with two-thirds approving the law.

A law forbidding minors from seeking an abortion without parental consent was deemed unconstitutional and has not been enforced. The status of that law now is not clear.

Colorado

Current law: All abortions are legal.

Trigger law: None.

Colorado also codified abortion in April 2022 with the Reproductive Health Equity Act. Parents of minors seeking abortions must be notified before the procedure.

Arizona

Current law: Abortion legal up to 15 weeks with no exception for rape or incest.

Trigger law: None, however, there are territorial laws still on the books which make forced miscarriages punishable with imprisonment for women. Some now question whether that would be currently valid now the Roe v. Wade decision has been overturned.

Physicians performing illegal abortions could be charged criminally with a felony and have their license revoked if convicted. They may also be sentenced to two to five years in prison.


Have you experienced something you think just isn’t right? The KSL Investigators want to help. Submit your tip at investigates@ksl.com or 385-707-6153 so we can get working for you.

KSL 5 TV Live

Top Stories

National News

FILE - West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice delivers his annual State of the State address in the House C...
Associated Press

West Virginia bans some child marriages in compromise law

West Virginia will no longer allow children under 16 to marry, after the governor signed a compromise bill Wednesday.
1 day ago
60 earthquakes under Yellowstone Lake were recorded within 12 hours Wednesday. (KSL TV Earthquake T...
Brooke Williams

Over 60 earthquakes at Yellowstone Lake not sign of impending doom

60 earthquakes under Yellowstone Lake have been recorded between 11:18 p.m. Tuesday and 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, with magnitudes ranging from -0.1 to 3.7.
1 day ago
A West High School employee holds a Pride flag and an updated Pride flag that includes colors for t...
Associated Press

Twitter removes tweets about ‘Trans Day of Vengeance’

Twitter says it has removed thousands of tweets showing a poster promoting a “trans day of vengeance” protest in support of transgender rights in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.
1 day ago
(Oct. 1, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Frank Rubio is pictured inside ...
Jackie Wattles

This astronaut will set a new US record for longest time spent in space

Astronaut Frank Rubio will stay in space for over a year.
1 day ago
Luxury Italian sports car designer Lamborghini has unveiled its first supercar with a charging port...
Peter Valdes-Dapena

End of an era: Lamborghini goes hybrid…and very fast

Soon, you'll be able to plug in your Lamborghini.
1 day ago
An an entry to Covenant School has become a memorial for shooting victims, Tuesday, March 28, 2023,...
Ben Finley, Adrian Sainz and Holly Meyer

Children lost in shooting were ‘feisty,’ a ‘shining light’

The children who died at The Covenant School were Hallie Scruggs, Evelyn Dieckhaus and William Kinney.
1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

Stack of old laptops with dark background...
PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.
Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...
BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.
Close up of an offset printing machine during production...
Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.
vintage photo of lighting showroom featuring chandeliers, lamps, wall lights and mirrors...
Lighting Design

History of Lighting Design | Over 25 Years of Providing Utah With the Latest Trends and Styles

Read about the history of Lighting Design, a family-owned and operated business that paved the way for the lighting industry in Utah.
Fiber Optical cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports...
Brian Huston, CE and Anthony Perkins, BICSI

Why Every Business Needs a Structured Cabling System

A structured cabling system benefits businesses by giving you faster processing speeds and making your network more efficient and reliable.
notebook with password notes highlighted...
PC Laptops

How to Create Strong Passwords You Can Actually Remember

Learn how you can create strong passwords that are actually easy to remember! In a short time you can create new ones in seconds.
How abortion laws will change in states surrounding Utah