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.”
Biden picks up another big union endorsement, this one from building trades workers
Arsenal back on top of English Premier League after win over Wolves
Duplantis sets a pole vault world record in the opening Diamond League meet of the season
Head and Sharma set up Hyderabad to blow away Delhi by 67 runs in IPL
Grant Shapps swerves questions on whether Britain could follow the US by banning Chinese
Director Romeo Castellucci drops out of Brussels Ring Cycle halfway through because of money, time
A look at the Gaza war protests that have emerged on US college campuses
What to expect in Pennsylvania's presidential and state primaries
A rabbi serving 30 years to life in his wife's contract killing has died, prison officials say