Dobbs v.

Jackson Women's Health Organization is a recent United States Supreme Court case

that concerns Mississippi's Gestational Age Act, which prohibits most abortions after 15 weeks

of pregnancy. Following the decision in Dobbs, some states have changed or proposed changes

to their abortion laws. Here are two examples:

1. Texas:

In 2021, the Texas legislature passed a new law known as Senate Bill 8, which effectively bans

all abortions in the state after six weeks of pregnancy. The law, which went into effect in

September 2021, is unique in that it allows private citizens to sue abortion providers and anyone

who assists a woman in obtaining an abortion after six weeks, including people who give rides to

clinics or provide financial assistance. The law has been criticized by many as a violation of

women's reproductive rights and an infringement on the right to privacy. Critics also argue that it

will disproportionately impact low-income women and women of color who may not have the

resources to travel out of state for an abortion or to fight a lawsuit in court.

2. Florida:

In the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposed a new law that

would prohibit doctors from performing abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected. This

typically occurs around six weeks of pregnancy. The proposed law, known as the Florida

Heartbeat Act, would also require doctors to inform patients if a fetal heartbeat is detected and to

offer the patient the opportunity to view or hear the heartbeat. The law has not yet been passed,

but if it were to be enacted, it would severely restrict access to abortion for women in Florida and

could potentially be challenged in court for violating women's constitutional rights.