SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)— When Louisiana’s abortion trigger laws take effect, women seeking safe, legal abortions will have to travel hundreds or thousands of miles to access that care.
Louisiana’s trigger law, which has been in place since 2006, outlaws abortions in the state now that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe Vs. Wade. Lawmakers also passed a controversial law during the 2022 Legislative session criminalizing doctors in the event the landmark ruling was overturned, with no exceptions for cases of rape and incest. Gov. John Bel Edwards signed that bill into law last week.
While many states still allow access to abortions, only a few have legal protection for the procedure.
A woman from Louisiana would find the closest states to access abortion services are Colorado or Illinois. Both states provide legal and constitutional protections for abortions.
The only southern state without a ban on abortion is Florida. In 2022 state lawmakers passed a measure restricting access to abortion procedures after 15 weeks, which will go into effect on July 1.
All the states along the east coast from Virginia to Maine allow abortions with certain restrictions. The same is true on the west coast and in some mid-western states.
In addition to the time it would take, there is still an enormous cost burden for travel, lodging, and the procedure itself. They would also have to conduct extensive research considering each state has varying limitations on abortion services.
