A summary of state legislation - August 1, 2024 – April 31, 2025

Joe Kral, M.A.

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Alaska

Physician Only Requirement:

September 4, 2024 – An Alaska Superior Court judge ruled that the state’s law that mandates only state-licensed physicians perform abortions is unconstitutional.

 

 

Arizona

Abortion Constitutional Ballot Initiative:

August 20, 2024 – The Arizona Supreme Court rejected a suit trying to block the pro-abortion amendment from being on the November ballot.

 

               November 6, 2024 – The ballot initiative passed.

 

               December 3, 2025 – The ACLU filed suit challenging the state's pro-life laws.

 

 

Arkansas

Abortion Constitutional Ballot Initiative:

August 22, 2024 – The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that the Secretary of State was correct in rejecting the petition for a ballot initiative that sought to enshrine abortion as a right within the state constitution because it did not have enough valid signatures.

 

Baby Olivia Act:

February 4, 2025 – The Arkansas House Education Committee passed HB 1180. This bill would mandate that public school students receive accurate information on the development of the unborn child. The bill now proceeds to the House Floor for consideration.

 

February 10, 2025 – The Senate Education Committee voted on a “do not pass” motion. The motion failed. The bill is still in committee and awaiting another vote.

 

February 26, 2025 – The Senate Education Committee rejected the bill by a vote of 4-3-1. The bill cannot officially move any further.

 

Medical Emergency Clarification:

March 17, 2025 – The Arkansas Senate passed HB 1610, which seeks to further clarify the medical emergency definition within the bill. The bill proceeds to the Governor’s desk for either her signature or veto.

 

 

California

Buffer Zone Law:

September 20, 2024 – Pro-Life advocate, Roger Lopez, is challenging San Diego’s Buffer Zone laws, which prohibit pro-life free speech within 100 feet of an abortion clinic.

 

January 15, 2025 – The federal district court ruled against a preliminary injunction that would have enjoined the law during the court process.

 

 

Colorado

Abortionist Shield Law:

February 12, 2025 – The Senate Judiciary Committee passed SB 129, which would expand the existing Shield Law. The bill now proceeds to the Senate Floor for consideration.

 

 

Delaware

Assisted Suicide:

September 20, 2024 – Governor John Carney vetoed a bill that would have legalized assisted suicide.

 

March 20, 2025 – HB 140 has passed the House. The bill would legalize assisted suicide. The bill proceeds to the Senate for consideration.

 

Prohibited Pro-Life Free Speech:

February 12, 2025 – A Door for Hope and NIFLA have challenged the state’s law that stifles the free speech of pro-life pregnancy centers.

 

 

Florida

Abortion Constitutional Ballot Initiative:

November 6, 2024 – The ballot initiative to make abortion a constitutional right under the state constitution did not pass.

 

 

Georgia

Fetal Heartbeat Law:

September 30, 2024 – Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney ruled the state’s Fetal Heartbeat Act unconstitutional. This is in defiance of an earlier Georgia Supreme Court ruling that declared the law to be constitutional.

 

IVF Protection:

February 27, 2025 – The Georgia House unanimously passed HB 428, which would protect the practice of IVF. The bill does not do anything to protect the embryonic child.

 

 

Idaho

Abortion Ban:

January 15, 2025 – St. Luke’s Hospital filed a suit in federal court challenging the law, claiming it is in violation of the federal EMTALA law.

 

Abortion Trafficking Prohibition:

December 3, 2024 – The US Ninth Court of Appeals allowed the state’s prohibition of minors across state lines to get abortions without parental permission to go back into effect.

 

Conscience Protections:

March 20, 2025 – Governor Brad Little has signed HB 59 into law. The bill protects the pro-life convictions of medical professionals within the state.

 

Prenatal Education Bill:

March 18, 2025 – The Idaho Legislature passed a Prenatal Education Bill, which would mandate children in grades 5-12 be educated on the development of the human unborn child. The bill proceeds to the Governor for either his signature or veto.

 

 

Illinois

Abortion Insurance Coverage:

August 1, 2024 – Gov. Pritzker signed legislation that mandates that Illinois-based health insurance companies must cover abortion with no co-pays or deductibles.

 

 

Indiana

Abortion Ban:

December 10, 2024 – The Indiana Supreme Court refused to lift the injunction on the state’s

pro-life Abortion Ban. The case will continue to be tried as the law will remain enjoined.

 

January 22, 2025 – Governor Mike Braun signed an executive order directing the state’s department of health to ensure that the abortion is being properly enforced.

 

 

Kansas

Unborn Child Support:

March 14, 2025 – The Kansas Senate passed HB 2062, which mandates that an unborn child from the moment of conception is eligible to receive child support from the biological father. The bill must go back to the House for final approval.

 

 

Maryland

Abortion Constitutional Initiative:

November 6, 2024 – The ballot initiative that would enshrine abortion in the state constitution passed.

 

January 20, 2025 – Governor Wes Moore has certified the abortion amendment.

 

Assisted Suicide:

April 21, 2025 – The Maryland Legislature has successfully blocked a bill that would have legalized assisted suicide in the state. The bill simply did not have time to pass by the time the Legislature adjourned for the session.

 

Public Funding of Abortion:

March 19, 2025 – The Maryland Senate passed SB 848. This bill would create a $25 million dollar fund, sourced from insurance companies, to help pay for abortions for uninsured mothers. The bill proceeds to the House for consideration.

 

 

Massachusetts

Non-Physician Abortion:

January 13, 2025 – Governor Maura Healey enacted an executive amendment that would allow nurses who perform abortions not to receive any consequences regarding their nursing license. The rule will be in effect during the commentary period over the next three months.

 

 

Missouri

Abortion Constitutional Ballot Initiative:

September 6, 2024 – Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh ruled that the ballot initiative to enshrine abortion in the state constitution is invalid because it does not properly note which laws will be repealed.

 

September 10, 2024 – The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the ballot initiative can remain on the November ballot.

 

November 6, 2024 – The ballot initiative passed.

 

Abortion Licensing Requirement:

February 14, 2025 – A state district judge has ruled that the state’s licensing requirement for abortion clinics are to be enjoined.

 

Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance:

               January 7, 2025 – An alderman for the City Council of Rolla has withdrawn a proposal for a

Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance. He plans to work on a second proposal.

 

January 27, 2025 – The Rolla City Council refused to address the proposed Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance.

 

 

Montana:

Abortion Constitutional Ballot Initiative:

August 20, 2024 – The Montana Secretary of State certified that the pro-abortion ballot initiative may be placed on the November ballot.

 

November 6, 2024 – The ballot initiative passed.

 

Abortion Clinic Regulations:

December 6, 2024 – A state district judge has blocked enforcement of two abortion clinic regulations.

 

Assisted Suicide Prohibition:

February 6, 2025 – The Montana Senate passed SB 136, which would ban assisted suicide by disallowing patient consent for assisted suicide as a defense for physicians.

 

Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers:

April 21, 2025 – The Montana Legislature passed HB 388, which would protect pro-life pregnancy centers from state persecution. The bill now proceeds to the Governor’s desk for either his signature or veto.

 

Selling Fetal Body Parts:

April 21 – 2025 – The Montana Legislature passed SB 154, which prohibits the sale of fetal body parts. The bill proceeds to the Governor’s desk for either his signature or veto.

 

 

Nebraska

Abortion Constitutional Ballot Initiative:

November 6, 2024 – The amendment that would have enshrined abortion in the state constitution did not pass.

 

Constitutional Amendment Restricting Abortion:

November 6, 2024 – The amendment restricting abortion to the first 12 weeks did pass.

 

 

New York

Abortionist Shield Law:

February 3, 2025 – The New York Legislature quickly passed an abortionist's shield law in response to a Louisiana case where a New York abortionist sold and sent abortion pills to a person in Louisiana, where abortion is illegal. The minor girl who took the pills had complications. The AG then filed a criminal case against the abortionist. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law.

 

Pro-Abortion Employment Law:

January 7, 2025 – The US Second Court of Appeals has ordered a lower district court to reopen a case that was challenging New York’s law that requires pro-life organizations to hire pro-abortion advocates.

 

 

North Carolina

Abortionist Shield Law:

January 16, 2025 – Governor Josh Stein has issued an executive order that mandates that state agencies do not work with out-of-state agents who are investigating whether a North Carolina abortionist has violated the other state’s pro-life laws.

 

 

North Dakota

Abortion Ban:

September 12, 2024 – Judge Bruce Romanick ruled that the state’s Abortion Ban was unconstitutional, arguing that women had the right to an abortion before viability.

 

 

Ohio

Humane Burial for Fetal Remains:

February 14, 2025 – An Ohio judge declared the Fetal Remains law unconstitutional since it violates the pro-abortion state constitutional amendment.

 

Informed Consent:

August 23, 2024 – An Ohio judge blocked the enforcement of Ohio’s informed consent law.

 

 

Pennsylvania

Abortion Funding:

September 10, 2024 – The City of Philadelphia has allocated $500,000.00 to the local Planned Parenthood chapter.

 

 

South Carolina

Fetal Heartbeat Act:

January 13, 2025 – A group of doctors has filed suit in federal court challenging the law. They claim the law is too vague.

 

February 12, 2025 – The South Carolina Supreme Court refused to enjoin the law during the court phase of the case.

 

 

Tennessee

Abortion Trafficking Prohibition:

September 20, 2024 - A federal judge has temporarily enjoined the Tennessee law that prohibits the trafficking of minors across state lines to get an abortion without parental permission.

 

“Right” to IVF:

April 21, 2025 – The Tennessee legislature passed HB 0533, which would grant an unlimited “right” to IVF. If enacted, this bill would legally allow for IVF embryonic children to be created and destroyed for any reason.

 

 

Texas

Abortion Funding:

September 27, 2024 – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit against the City of Austin for setting aside public funds to help reimburse city residents who go out of state for abortions.

 

Sanctuary City for the Unborn:

April 8, 2025 – The City of Mullin passed a Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance.

 

April 15, 2025 – The City of Moran passed a Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance.

              

April 18, 2025 – The City of Lueders passed a Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance.

 

 

Utah

Abortion Ban:

August 1, 2024 – The Utah Supreme Court upheld the injunction against the state’s Abortion Ban while the case is making its way through the courts.

 

 

Virginia

Abortion Amendment:

January 14, 2025 – The Virginia House of Delegates has passed HJR 1, which would amend the state constitution to enshrine abortion. The measure now proceeds to the Senate for consideration.

 

January 21, 2025 – The Virginia Senate has passed HJR1. The bill must be passed again by the General Assembly after the November election.

 

Abortionist Shield Law:

February 5, 2025 – The Virginia Senate passed SB 1098, which would protect abortionists from violating other states’ pro-life laws. The bill now proceeds to the House for consideration.

 

IVF Ruling:

March 17, 2025 – Judge Dontae Bugg ruled in a case between divorced parents that the IVF children in the case are not property. At present, the IVF embryonic children involved in the case are to remain frozen.

 

 

Wyoming:

Abortion Clinic Regulation:

February 27, 2025 – Governor Mark Gordon signed HB 42, which would require abortion clinics to be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers.

 

April 22, 2025 – A Wyoming District Judge enjoined two pro-life laws including (HB 42) while the trial proceeds.

 

Abortion – Not Healthcare:

March 16, 2025 – Governor Mark Gordon vetoed SF 125, which declared that abortion is not health care.

              

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