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Roe v. Wade: What is an abortion trigger law?

The U.S. Supreme Court is seen early Tuesday, May 3, 2022 in Washington. A draft opinion suggests the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide, according to a Politico report released Monday. Whatever the outcome, the Politico report represents an extremely rare breach of the court's secretive deliberation process, and on a case of surpassing importance. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

(NEXSTAR) – A document obtained by Politico shows a majority of justices could be poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that created a constitutional right to abortion. If Roe v. Wade were to be overturned, the impact would be felt differently across the U.S. states

That’s because while some states have moved to protect abortion rights, others have their own added restrictions. Some states have even passed “trigger laws,” which would automatically ban or severely limit abortion in the event that Roe is overturned.

States with trigger laws that would ban all or almost all abortions include Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Other states have bans still on the books from before the Roe v. Wade decision that haven’t been enforced since the 1973 ruling. Those would presumably become enforceable once again if the court decision is reversed – unless they are repealed at the state level before that happens.

See the map below for more on the state-by-state restrictions.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, the most likely outcome would be a patchwork of laws around the country. States run by Democrats could be expected to protect access to abortion, while states run by Republicans would not.

The opinion that was leaked Monday night is not final until it’s issued by the court. The draft could evolve before it is formally released. The court is expected to rule on the case before its term ends in late June or early July.

The leaked version was dated Feb. 10, and any revisions could modify the scope of the decision and its potential impact on other constitutional issues.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.