UTAH
Political control: Utah is deeply conservative and the Legislature is controlled by a Republican supermajority.
Background: The state has been restricting abortion for years, including a ban after 18 weeks passed in 2019 that’s now blocked in court. The following year, lawmakers passed a “trigger law” that would outlaw nearly all abortions if Roe v. Wade was overturned.
Effect of Supreme Court ruling: The trigger law banning nearly all abortions became enforceable Friday evening, after the legislative general counsel certified the Supreme Court ruling to lawmakers. It does have narrow exceptions for rape and incest if those crimes are reported to law enforcement, and for serious risk to the life or health of the mother, as well as confirmed lethal birth defects.
What’s next: Utah law makes performing an abortion a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. While it’s aimed primarily at providers, lawmakers have acknowledged that a woman who self-administers an abortion, including through medication, could potentially face charges.
