Although Roe v. Wade (1973) currently protects the right to an abortion at the federal level, some states have enacted additional legal protections for individuals seeking abortion. Some states have laws prohibiting any interference with a woman exercising her right to obtain an abortion prior to viability, or when necessary to protect the life and health of the woman. Additionally, there are state court opinions that interpret provisions of their state constitution to similarly protect the right to an abortion up to viability. However, no states have an explicit constitutional provision that specifically protects a woman’s right to seek an abortion.
This dataset explores laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia that address reporting requirements for abortion providers in effect as of August 31, 2020, as well as case law and attorney general opinions that affect the enforceability of these laws.
This map was created as part of the Abortion Law Project, a collaboration between the Policy Surveillance Program, Guttmacher Institute, Resources for Abortion Delivery (RAD), American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Reproductive Rights, National Abortion Federation, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.