Attorneys from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio and Texas joined 38 others in a joint declaration that they will not prosecute women who obtain abortions or health-care providers involved in the process as required under some recently enacted abortion laws.
Where it stands: Only 2 of 9 abortion bans across the U.S. are currently in effect, in Utah and Arkansas — where abortions are limited in the middle of the second trimester. Laws in Georgia, Missouri and Alabama call for arresting health-care providers involved in providing access to abortion.
Between the lines: The Alabama lawyer who wrote the state's restrictive abortion ban, Eric Johnston, expected a lawsuit since the ban goes against Roe v. Wade. The ACLU and the Alabama Women's Center sued Alabama over the ban in May, claiming it "directly conflicts with Roe."
- As reported by NYT's "The Daily," Johnston hopes the ban could be taken to the Supreme Court in a larger fight — but he acknowledges that may not happen.
What they're saying:
Read the full statement:
Go deeper: Where each state stands if Roe v. Wade is overturned
Editor's note: This story has been updated to indicate that 42 attorneys will not prosecute women who obtain abortions, rather than women who seek the procedure.
