WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court heard its first test on Wednesday of state abortion bans that have been enacted since the court upended the Roe v. Wade constitutional right to abortion. While the current case involves an Idaho abortion ban, the court’s ruling could have implications beyond that state.
Idaho lawmakers have banned abortion except when a mother’s life is at risk. The Biden administration says the state law conflicts with a federal law requiring emergency room doctors to stabilize patients, no matter what, even if that means an abortion.
How the court will rule is uncertain. The justices could make a major ruling — or they could rule narrowly on how Idaho’s state law interacts with the federal law, the the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act ( EMTALA ).
A look at the key points in Wednesday’s arguments.
Attorneys for both sides warned that the justices’ ruling could affect women and doctors far beyond Idaho, changing how emergency rooms treat patients in many other states.
“There are 22 states with abortion laws on the books,” said Attorney Joshua N. Turner, who represented Idaho. “This isn’t going to end with Idaho. … This question is going to come up in state after state.”
Grant Shapps swerves questions on whether Britain could follow the US by banning Chinese
Prue Leith's recipe for seeing red... her husband's online shopping habit!
Average car insurance bills rocket to almost £1,000: Costs surge £284 in just ONE year
12 students and teacher killed at Columbine to be remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Former Wisconsin college chancellor fired over porn career is fighting to keep his faculty post
Maurizio Cattalan, Zoe Soldana collaborate in iconoclastic Vatican exhibition inside women’s prison
Sanctions won't work on solving Russia
Jennifer Lopez stuns in an all
Biden’s new Title IX rules protect LGBTQ+ students, but transgender sports rule still on hold
Doctors combine a pig kidney transplant and a heart device in a bid to extend woman's life
Dramatic moment lorry on the M56 is engulfed by flames: HGV is destroyed by raging inferno