PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Supreme Court's decision Friday to allow Texas state clinics to sue over the most restrictive abortion ban in the country — while leaving the law in place — has fired up women's rights advocates who say this move guts women's constitutional rights to reproductive freedom.
The decision, little more than a week after the court signaled it would roll back abortion rights and possibly overturn its landmark Roe v. Wade decision, was greeted with dismay by abortion rights supporters.
Women's rights advocates argue the decision could open the door to future restrictions on women's reproductive health nationwide.
"If the court lets this bill stand, we can expect to see similar bills introduced in states across the country," said Dayle Steinberg, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Related
The court acted more than a month after hearing arguments over the law that makes abortion illegal after cardiac activity is detected in an embryo. That’s around six weeks, before some women even know they are pregnant. There are no exceptions for rape or incest.
The law has been in place for about three months, since Sept. 1. The Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide has stood since 1973.
She says Friday's ruling doesn't bode well for the Mississippi case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, expected to go before the Supreme Court in June. In that case, she says, justices could uphold a ban on termination of pregnancies at 15 weeks. That's nine weeks earlier than Roe v. Wade.
"So it would essentially gut the protections guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, and Mississippi has asked the court to consider overturning Roe entirely."
If that happens, Steinberg says several states have trigger laws ready to go into effect that would automatically ban abortion.
"In Pennsylvania, we have a governor who supports sexual and reproductive rights and will veto any legislation [against those issues]," Steinberg said. "But we have a very regressive state legislature that is opposed to sexual and reproductive rights."