Issue 1: Abortion rights protected in Ohio. Where else is abortion legal in the U.S.?

Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer
·2 min read
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Voters react to the passage of Ohio Issue 1, a ballot measure to amend the state constitution and establish a right to abortion at an election night party hosted by the Hamilton County Democratic Party, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Knox Joseph Distillery in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati.
Voters react to the passage of Ohio Issue 1, a ballot measure to amend the state constitution and establish a right to abortion at an election night party hosted by the Hamilton County Democratic Party, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Knox Joseph Distillery in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati.

Ohio's voters came out in favor of abortion access Tuesday night after passing Issue 1, an amendment to the state constitution that protects the right to an abortion up until a fetus's viability (approximately 24 weeks).

Ohio was the only state to tackle statewide abortion on its general election ballot this year, making the Buckeye State the newest epicenter of the ongoing national debate surrounding abortion.

Now, Ohio is the seventh state to pass statewide abortion protection after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that made abortion legal across the country, in summer 2022.

Which other states have passed similar protections? And which states currently have the strictest laws surrounding abortion?

Here's everything you need to know about abortion access across the United States, according to the directory of verified abortion service providers at AbortionFinder.org.

Which states are enforcing total bans on abortions?

The following states currently enforce total bans on abortion, with limited exceptions such as in cases of rape and incest and to save the pregnant person's life. Exceptions vary depending on the state.

  1. Alabama.

  2. Arkansas.

  3. Idaho.

  4. Indiana.

  5. Kentucky.

  6. Louisiana.

  7. Mississippi.

  8. Missouri.

  9. North Dakota.

  10. Oklahoma.

  11. South Dakota.

  12. Tennessee.

  13. Texas.

  14. West Virginia.

Which states carry no restrictions on abortions?

Abortions at any point of one's pregnancy are legal in the following states.

  1. Alaska.

  2. Colorado.

  3. New Jersey.

  4. New Mexico.

  5. Oregon.

  6. Vermont.

  7. Washington, D.C.

Which states carry some restrictions on abortions?

The following states have legalized abortions up until a fetus's viability, which is when a fetus can survive outside the uterus with reasonable measures (around 24 weeks into a pregnancy).

A handful of states carry earlier restrictions, and those are also noted below.

  1. Arizona (bans abortions after 15 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  2. California.

  3. Connecticut.

  4. Delaware.

  5. Florida (bans abortions after 15 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  6. Georgia (bans abortions at around 6 weeks of pregnancy).

  7. Hawaii.

  8. Illinois.

  9. Iowa (bans abortion after 21 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  10. Kansas (bans abortion after 21 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  11. Maine.

  12. Maryland.

  13. Massachusetts (bans abortion after 23 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  14. Michigan.

  15. Minnesota.

  16. Montana.

  17. Nebraska (bans abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy).

  18. Nevada (bans abortion after 25 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  19. New Hampshire (bans abortion after 23 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  20. New York.

  21. North Carolina (bans abortion after 12 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  22. Pennsylvania (bans abortion after 23 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  23. Rhode Island.

  24. South Carolina (bans abortions at around 6 weeks of pregnancy).

  25. Utah (bans abortions after 18 weeks of pregnancy).

  26. Virginia (bans abortion after 26 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  27. Washington.

  28. Wisconsin (bans abortion after 21 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy).

  29. Wyoming.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Issue 1: Here's which states have banned, legalized abortion