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Reproductive Choice

May 31, 2011 marked the two year anniversary of the murder of Dr. George Tiller, a reproductive health physician in Wichita, Kansas who provided late-term abortions for women in need.  Since Dr. Tiller was killed, states across the country have continued to pass laws aimed at limiting access to this legal medical procedure.
 
State Anti-Abortion Statutes Enacted Since Death of Dr. Tiller

Alabama:
  • 6/2011  Established certificate of stillbirth

Alaska:
  • 4/2010  Establishes intrusive abortion reporting requirements
 Arizona:
  • 7/2009  Requires counseling at clinic and at least 24 hour waiting period before abortion performed
  • 7/2009  Late-term ("partial-birth") abortion ban
  • 7/2009  Parental consent must be notarized
  • 7/2009  Limits abortion provision to physicians
  • 7/2009  Amended state's abortion refusal clause allowing health care providers to refuse to participate in an abortion
  • 7/2009  Established that providers, pharmacists, and hospitals/employees may refuse to provide Plan B or contraceptives that prevent implantation of a fertilized egg
  • 4/2010  Bans or limits abortion coverage in state exchange
  • 4/2010  Limits abortion coverage in the State Employee Plan to life endangerment and severe health
  • 4/2010  Limits state funding to life endangerment, rape and incest
  • 4/2010  Establishes intrusive abortion reporting requirements
  • 5/2010  Grants parents the right to access a minor's medical records and to make health care decisions for a minor
  • 3/2011  Bans abortion for gender or race selection
  • 4/2011  Prohibits use of telemedicine to provide medication-induced abortion
  • 4/2011  Requires an ultrasound before an abortion
  • 4/2011  Requires facilities that provide at least 10 abortions per month meet abortion clinic requirements
  • 4/2011  Prohibits physician assistants from providing abortions
  • 4/2011  Prohibits nurses from providing abortions
  • 4/2011  Prohibits state funds or tuition to pay for abortion training at public universities
Colorado:
  • 3/2010  Continues state family planning funding restrictions
  • 3/2011  Continues state family planning funding restrictions
Florida:
  • 6/2011  Requires ultrasound before an abortion
  • 6/2011  Limits abortion coverage in state-based health insurance exchanges
  • 6/2011  Amends the judicial bypass process for minors

Idaho:
  • 3/2010  Abortion refusal clause amended to include additional medical providers
  • 3/2010  Medical providers may refuse to provide family planning and emergency contraception
  • 3/2010  Employer (of provider) must accommodate refusal except when it causes an "undue hardship" 
  • 4/2011  Bans abortion at/after 20 weeks
  • 4/2011  Limits abortion coverage in state-based health insurance exchanges
  • 4/2011  Amends abortion reporting requirements
Indiana:
  • 3/2010  Continued restrictions on state abortion funding
  • 4/2011  Requires reporting on abortions for minors
  • 4/2011  Amends abortion reporting requirements
  • 5/2011  Bans abortion at/after 20 weeks
  • 5/2011  Requires counseling to inform the woman that the fetus is a person
  • 5/2011  Requires counseling on fetal pain
  • 5/2011  Revises counseling requirements
  • 5/2011  Requires an ultrasound before an abortion
  • 5/2011  Limits abortion coverage in state-based health insurance exchanges
  • 5/2011  Requires abortion providers to have hospital admitting privileges
  • 5/2011  Requires state to develop new regulations on abortion clinics
  • 5/2011  Amends judicial bypass process for minors seeking an abortion
  • 5/2011  Prohibits state from contracting with an abortion provider, except hospitals and abulatory surgery centers for contraception
Iowa: 
  • 3/2010  Continues restrictions on state funding
Kansas:
  • 5/2010  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion services** 
  • 4/2011  Bans abortion at/after 20 weeks
  • 4/2011  Limits post-viability abortion
  • 4/2011  Revises "Partial-Birth" abortion restriction to mirror federal law
  • 4/2011  Requires abortion counseling to state that abortion ends "the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being"
  • 4/2011  Requires parental consent for a minor can obtain an abortion
  • 4/2011  Amends judicial bypass process for minors
  • 4/2011  Requires reporting on abortions for minors
  • 4/2011  Amends abortion reporting requirements
  • 4/2011  Requires counseling to inform the woman that the fetus is a person
  • 5/2011  Requires an ultrasound before an abortion
  • 5/2011  Bans use of telemedicine
  • 5/2011  Limits abortion coverage in state-based health insurance exchanges
  • 5/2011  Limits abortion coverage in all private health plans
  • 5/2011  Continues funding alternatives to abortion services
  • 5/2011  Establishes a priority system to allocate family planning funds
Louisiana:
  • 6/2009  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion service**
  • 7/2009  Amended state's abortion refusal clause allowing providers to refuse to participate in an abortion
  • 6/2010  Allows the state to close an abortion clinic for violation of any state or federal law
  • 7/2010  Limits or bans abortion coverage in state-based health insurance exchanges 
  • 7/2010  Amends state mandate for ultrasound to require provider to offer description and picture of fetal image 
  • 7/2010  Excludes any provider who provides an "elective" abortion after viability from medical malpractice protection
Maryland:
  • 4/2010  Continues restrictions on state funding
  • 5/2011  Continues restrictions on state funding of abortions in Medicaid
Michigan:
  • 10/2009  Continues state family planning funding restrictions
  • 10/2010  Continues state family planning funding restrictions 
  • 6/2011    Continues state family planning funding restrictions
Mississippi:
  • 5/2010  Bans or limits abortion coverage in state exchange
  • 3/2011  Requires all schools to provide abstinence-only education; requires state approval for contraception education
Missouri:
  • 6/2009  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion services**
  • 6/2010  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion services**
  • 7/2010  Limits or bans abortion coverage in state-based health insurance exchanges 
  • 7/2010  Requires counseling about fetal pain and requires provision of anesthesia for the fetus upon request
  • 7/2010  Requires counseling on when life begins, including printed materials that state "The life of each human being begins at conception," and abortion "ends the life of a separate, unique, living human being."
  • 7/2010  Includes counseling regarding coercion of abortion
  • 7/2010  Provider must offer ultrasound to each patient seeking an abortion
  • 6/2011  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion services**
Nebraska:
  • 4/2010  Bans abortions after 20 weeks gestation
  • 4/2010  Requires counseling to possibly include flawed information about "risks associated with complications"
  • 5/2010  Requires provider to offer a woman a list of organizations that perform free ultrasounds
  • 5/2011  Bans use of telemedicine
  • 5/2011  Abortion coverage limited in all private health plans
  • 5/2011  Limits abortion coverage in state-based health insurance exchanges
  • 5/2011  Requires parental consent for minors
  • 5/2011  Amends judicial bypass process for minors
  • 5/2011  Requires reporting on abortions for minors
New Jersey:
  • 6/2011  Requires parental notification for minors

North Carolina:
  • 5/2011  Establishes fetal homicide law
  • 6/2011  Limits abortion coverage in state employee health plan
  • 6/2011  Establishes "Choose Life" license plates
  • 6/2011  Prohibits state from contracting with or granting funds to Planned Parenthood
  • 6/2011  Establishes certificate of stillbirth
North Dakota:
  • 4/2011  Requires counseling to include inaccurate information stating having an abortion increases risk for breast cancer
  • 4/2011  Revises counseling requirements
  • 4/2011  Limits provision to physicians
  • 4/2011  Prohibits use of telemedicine
  • 4/2011  Requires provider to contract a physician with hospital privileges to handle complications
  • 4/2011  Amends judicial bypass process for minors
  • 4/2011  Requires reporting on abortions for minors
  • 4/2011  Amends abortion reporting requirements 
  • 5/2011  Requires abstinence before marriage (abstinence only) sex education
Oklahoma:
  • 4/2010  Limits medication-induced abortion to physicians and requires detailed counseling
  • 4/2010  Mandates ultrasound and requires provider to show and describe the image to the woman
  • 4/2010  Prohibits lawsuit if physician's failure to provide information led the woman to continue the pregnancy
  • 4/2010  Requires clinics to post notices that a woman cannot be coerced into an abortion
  • 4/2010  Abortion refusal clause amended to include additional medical providers
  • 4/2010  Abortion refusal clause amended to include additional institutions
  • 4/2010  Employer (of provider) must accommodate refusal except when it causes an "undue hardship"
  • 5/2010  Established intrusive abortion reporting requirements
  • 4/2011  Bans abortion at/after 20 weeks
  • 4/2011  Abortion coverage limited in all private health plans
  • 4/2011  Limits abortion coverage in state-based health insurance exchanges
  • 4/2011  Amends abortion reporting requirements
  • 5/2011  Bans the use of telemedicine
Pennsylvania:
  • 8/2009  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion services** 
  • 7/2010  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion services** 
  • 6/2011  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion services**
South Carolina:
  • 6/2010  Bans or limits abortion coverage in state employee health insurance plan
  • 6/2010  Extends waiting period between mandatory counseling and obtaining an abortion to 24 hours
South Dakota:
  • 3/2011  Waiting period extended from 24 to 72 hours
  • 3/2011  Requires visit to a crisis pregnancy center before an abortion
  • 3/2011  Requires counseling, including flawed information about "risks associated" with complications
Tennessee:
  • 6/2009  Continues state family planning funding restrictions
  • 4/2010  Requires clinics to post notices that a woman cannot be coerced into an abortion
  • 5/2010  Bans or limits abortion coverage in state-based health insurance exchanges  
  • 6/2011  Establishes or expands fetal homicide law
Texas:
  • 6/2009  Continues state family planning funding restrictions
  • 6/2009  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion services**
  • 5/2011  Requires in-person counseling for women who live within 100 miles of abortion facility
  • 5/2011  Requires an ultrasound before an abortion
  • 5/2011  Amends abortion reporting requirements
  • 5/2011  Creates "Choose Life" license plates
  • 6/2011  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion services** 
  • 6/2011  Establishes a priority system to allocate family planning funds
  • 6/2011  Continues state family planning funding restrictions
Utah: 
  • 3/2010  Requires provider to offer to display image and provide description if ultrasound performed before abortion
  • 3/2010  Considers some miscarriages murder
  • 3/2010  Prohibits self-induced abortion 
  • 3/2011  Abortion coverage limited in all private health plans
  • 3/2011  Limits abortion coverage in insurance plans offered in the state health exchange
  • 3/2011  Requires state to develop new regulations for abortion clinics
  • 3/2011  Establishes "Choose Life" state license plates
  • 3/2011  Parental consent required for most minors seeking HPV vaccine
  • 3/2011  Allows public and non-religious hospitals and any health clinic to refuse to perform an abortion services
  • 3/2011  Allows any hospital or clinic employee to refuse to participate in an abortion
  • 5/2011  Revises counseling requirements
Virginia:
  • 4/2010  Limits state funding to life endangerment, rape and incest
  • 4/2010  Establishes a Pro-Choice license plate, with $15 of the $25 fee going to the Virginia Pregnant Women Support Fund.  This fund is run by the Virginia Board of Health which supports predominantly anti-choice programs.
  • 3/2011  Requires state to develop new regulations for abortion clinics
  • 4/2011  Limits abortion coverage in state-based health insurance exchanges
West Virginia:
  • 4/2010  Requires provider to offer the woman the opportunity to view her ultrasound
 Wisconsin:
  • 6/2009  Continues funding for alternatives to abortion services**
  • 6/2011  Prohibits state from contracting with abortion providers
**  These laws fund programs that include adoption and "stealth" clinics that offer abortion and crisis pregnancy counseling aimed at stopping a woman from having an abortion.  


The following states have passed laws protecting the right to choose since the death of Dr. Tiller:

Arizona:
  • 7/2009  Prohibits coercing a woman into having an abortion
  • 7/2009  Establishes criteria for a judge to utilize when considering bypassing the state's parental consent for abortion law
Colorado:
  • 5/2010  Ensures that health insurance plans cover contraception
  • 3/2011  Funds substance abuse treatment for pregnant women 
Connecticut:
  • 6/2009  Prohibits non-medical use of ultrasound *
Hawaii:
  • 7/2009  Sex education is required to be medically accurate and include information on contraceptives
Iowa:
  • 5/2011  Expanded Medicaid-based family planning & contraception to include men

Kentucky:
  • 3/2011  Funds substance abuse treatment for pregnant women
Louisiana:
  • 7/2009  Protects a woman's access to abortion when a medical provider refuses to perform the procedure 
Maryland: 
  • 5/2011  Expanded contraception via Medicaid to be based on income
New Jersey: 
  • 5/2011  Requires sex education instruction on dating violence and abusive relationships 
    North Carolina:
    • 6/2009  Sex education is required to be medically accurate and include information on contraceptives
    North Dakota:
    • 4/2010   Prohibits non-medical use of ultrasound *
    Oregon:
    •  6/2009  Weakens abstinence requirements in sex education and codifies medically accurate requirements
    • 6/2009  Requires health plans to cover HPV vaccine
    South Carolina:
    • 6/2010  Expands state medical coverage (Medicaid) to cover abortion in the case of severe health impairment
    Virginia:
    • 3/2011  Requires information on dating violence and abusive relationships when sex education is provided
    Wisconsin:
    • 6/2009  Requires health plans that cover prescription drugs must cover contraception
    • 6/2009  Requires a pharmacy to dispense valid Plan B and contraceptive prescriptions
    • 2/2010  Sex education must be medically accurate
    • 2/2010  Sex education must include discussion of contraception
    According to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, ultrasounds provided by non-medical providers provide a false sense of security, as the technician is not required to offer information on fetal irregularities or concerns.  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that a fetus should not be exposed to ultrasound for commercial and entertainment purposes.  This law is meant to address ultrasounds done in order to determine the gender of the fetus.


    Information provided by Guttmacher Institute, Guttmacher Institute (2009)