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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 12 July 2022

Judges rule on state abortion restrictions, shape Roe impact

By SAM METZ, JENNIFER Mc- eral to appeal.
DERMOTT and STEVE KAR- Alongside lawsuits to chal-
NOWSKI lenge bans, abortion rights
Associated Press supporters are trying to add
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A ballot questions to enshrine
judge in Utah was deciding abortion rights in state con-
Monday whether to allow stitutions.
a trigger-law ban on abor- More than 750,000 signa-
tion to take effect while a tures were turned in by the
Minnesota judge declared campaign in Michigan on
most of that state's restric- Monday — close to double
tions on abortion unconsti- the number needed. The
tutional, as the implications Democratic governor and
of the U.S. Supreme Court attorney general in the
overturning Roe v. Wade battleground state have
are being sorted out na- both made abortion rights
tionwide. a centerpiece of their re-
In Michigan, a campaign election campaigns.
turned in a record-break- "The number of signatures
ing number of signatures so showed that here in Michi-
voters can be asked on the gan we trust women. We
November ballot whether trust people. We trust doc-
to enshrine abortion rights A large crowd marches on Cedar Avenue to downtown during a University of Minnesota student tors, not politicians, to make
in the state constitution. led protest in Minneapolis, Minn., after the Supreme Court overruled Roe v Wade on Friday, June decisions about our body,
Last month's Dobbs v. Jack- 24, 2022. our pregnancy and parent-
son ruling overturned the Associated Press hood," Reproductive Free-
1973 Roe v. Wade ruling dom for All spokesperson
that found that the right to torneys argue that state constitutional, including a recent U.S. Supreme Court Shanay Watson-Whittaker
abortion was protected by abortion bans pre-dating 24-hour waiting period and ruling. said during a news confer-
the U.S. Constitution. The is- Roe span to when the state a requirement that both "These abortion laws vio- ence in Lansing.
sue reverted to the states, constitution was drafted parents be notified before late the right to privacy be- The signatures still must be
setting off new court bat- and accuse Planned Par- a minor can get an abor- cause they infringe upon verified and validated.
tles and ballot initiatives as enthood of trying to "inter- tion. Ramsey County District the fundamental right un- A judge has temporarily
many states act to curtail rupt and ultimately override Judge Thomas Gilligan also der the Minnesota Consti- blocked a 1931 Michigan
or ban abortions. the Legislature's judgment." struck down requirements tution to access abortion law that would make abor-
Utah is among more than The judge's temporary re- that only physicians can care and do not withstand tion a felony except when
a dozen states with trigger straining order expired perform abortions and that strict scrutiny," Gilligan "necessary to preserve the
laws designed to limit abor- Monday. District Court abortions after the first tri- wrote. life of such woman."
tion upon the overturning Judge Andrew Stone is mester must be performed Opponents of abortion Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
of Roe v. Wade. The Utah now deciding whether in hospitals. His order took rights condemned the de- has said that the law is in-
law bans nearly all abor- to grant a preliminary in- effect immediately, mean- cision. Minnesota Citizens valid under the due pro-
tions, except for in cases of junction, which would let ing the limits can't be en- Concerned for Life said cess and equal protection
rape, incest or when ma- Planned Parenthood clinics forced. the laws challenged in the clauses of the state consti-
ternal health is threatened. continue to provide abor- Gender Justice and other case are "common sense tution. The injunction, which
A Republican-appointed tion care until the court abortion rights supporters measures that support stems from a Planned Par-
judge blocked its enforce- rules on the constitutional argued that the restrictions and empower pregnant enthood lawsuit, could be
ment for 14 days after the questions. were unconstitutional un- women" and striking them revoked at any time.
state's branch of Planned Since the case began, an- der a 1995 Minnesota Su- down blocks residents from Last week, backers of a
Parenthood sued. other Utah law banning preme Court holding that "enacting reasonable pro- last-minute effort to en-
Planned Parenthood ar- most abortions after 18 the state constitution pro- tections for unborn children shrine abortion rights in the
gues the law violates the weeks took effect. tects abortion rights. The and their mothers." A Re- Arizona Constitution failed
Utah Constitution's equal The judge in Minnesota de- judge called that case "sig- publican attorney general to collect enough signa-
protection and right to pri- clared most of the state's nificant and historic" and candidate called on the tures to make the Novem-
vacy provisions. Utah's at- restrictions on abortion un- said it's unaffected by the Democratic attorney gen- ber ballot.q