These States Enable Abortions As much as Start, We Should Combat Again to Save Infants
A new Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) paper analyzes how abortion advocates—through court rulings, constitutional amendments, and shield laws—effectively removed any meaningful limits on abortion in some formerly pro-life states.
The paper explores the legal landscape in pro-abortion states post-Dobbs, specifically focusing on Arizona, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, and Ohio. These states shifted from having pro-life legal frameworks to recognizing abortion as a state “constitutional right,” despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of that claim nationally in the Dobbs decision.
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Key points
- States where abortion ballot measures have passed functionally legalized abortion up to birth. Limits based on viability or gestational age are nullified by undefined or broad definitions of “health,” effectively allowing abortion for nearly any reason at any time.
- Out-of-state abortion advocates waged multimillion-dollar campaigns to flip pro-life states. Abortion advocates bombarded voters with emotionally manipulative and misleading propaganda that overwhelmed pro-life campaigns. These initiatives exploited tragic stories and conflated abortion with miscarriage care, which is legal in every state.
- State courts struck down longstanding health and safety protections. These include waiting periods, informed consent laws, parental requirements, and ultrasound provisions. For example, a Michigan court said ensuring a pregnant woman is fully informed before making a life-altering decision infringes on her decision-making.
- Shield laws enable abortion drugs to be shipped into pro-life states. 22 states plus D.C. shield abortionists mailing abortion drugs into pro-life states and block interstate cooperation. Some states allow abortionists to omit their names from the drug packaging and don’t require abortionists to have a license.
Karen Czarnecki, executive director of CLI, said
“The Dobbs decision was a massive victory in the fight to protect unborn life, but that doesn’t mean the abortion issue is settled in the U.S. In fact, this paper perfectly illustrates how the fight has changed. The pro-life movement must continue advancing policies grounded in science, constitutional integrity, and respect for women and unborn babies—and push back against laws and a culture that continue to exploit both.”
To read the paper, click here.
