The battle over abortion rights: Here’s what’s at stake in 2020

A second wave of state-led abortion bans is expected in 2020, with Tennessee, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina and Idaho leading the charge.

“I think we’re going to continue to see states try to further erode Roe v. Wade at the state level,” Lopez said. “And I think [states] feel emboldened after the last round of abortion regulations in the last year.”

Republicans in Ohio have proposed a highly restrictive bill that prohibits doctors from performing abortions in almost all circumstances, except if a person giving birth will die from complications.

The bill does not propose any exceptions for rape or incest, but it does say that those who receive abortions and doctors who perform them can be prosecuted for murder.

“The time for regulating evil and compromise is over,” said Ohio state Rep. Candice Keller, a Republican and a sponsor of the bill. “The time has come to abolish abortion in its entirety and recognize that each individual has the inviolable and inalienable right to life.”

The bill is similar to a controversial law struck down in Alabama last year, in which there were also few exceptions for doctors to carry out abortions.

But, Lopez said, it’s important to also recognize that there are states going in the opposite direction. While multiple states tightened the restrictions on abortion, other states, like New York, Virginia and Maine, expanded abortion access.

In January 2019, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo passed the Reproductive Health Act, a law that allows people to receive an abortion after the 24th week of pregnancy in cases where the health of the person giving birth is on the line or if the baby would not survive the birth. Previously, the New York law only allowed an abortion after 24 weeks if the person giving birth would not survive.

— CNBC’s Tucker Higgins contributed to this report.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/06/the-battle-over-abortion-rights-heres-whats-at-stake-in-2020.html