Meeting The Moment Post-Dobbs: A Review of Proactive Abortion Policies Passed in States & Localities, June 24 – October 1, 2022

On June 24, 2022, with Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade, disregarding 49 years of precedent and pulling the rug out from under millions of people who lived their entire lives with abortion care as a protected right. The decision unleashed chaos and confusion across the country. In the face of this national crisis and public health emergency, the National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH), our partners, and advocates across the country called upon our allies in state and local government to respond to the harsh reality before us. A record number of state and local officials rose to the challenge.  

Meeting the Moment Post-Dobbs highlights the important proactive work that happened in the first three months following the decision.  

This review aims to provide advocates and elected officials with a comprehensive list of proactive state legislation passed and executive orders enacted during this time period, while highlighting some of the most promising local policies adopted in municipalities. Crucially, it also provides information and context for some of the new areas of law and policy that have arisen in the post-Dobbs landscape. 

Read the press release summarizing the key findings and what they mean for the future.