U.S. State Advocacy
The Center works in U.S. states to implement reproductive rights policy initiatives and strategies that improve access to abortion care and prevent restrictions.
Summary
In the U.S., anti-abortion lawmakers have enacted hundreds of state laws restricting abortion access over the past decade—and since the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated the constitutional right to abortion, more than a dozen states have made abortion illegal. Such bans and restrictions disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous, and people of color, young people, people with disabilities, and those with low incomes or living in rural areas.
In the states, the Center helps advance proactive laws and policies that expand access to abortion care, improve maternal health outcomes, and enhance access to assisted reproduction with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other reproductive care. The Center supports state-level coalitions and works in partnership to defeat policies restricting access to reproductive health care, including abortion. In all 50 states, the Center’s State Policy and Advocacy Team tracks and analyzes abortion legislation, including bans, TRAP laws, waiting periods, method and reason bans, insurance coverage limits, and many others.
The policy and advocacy team provides technical assistance such as legislative testimony, messaging, and strategy guidance to legislators, independent abortion providers, independent advocacy organizations, researchers, and other valuable stakeholders.
The Center’s signature event, the State Leadership Summit, convenes state advocates, legislators and other leaders to share information, strategize, and build skills to promote proactive state policies to improve abortion access and maternal health outcomes.
Key Facts
1 in 4
Women in the U.S. will end a pregnancy in her lifetime.
12
Number of U.S. states where abortion is now illegal.
3X
Black women are almost three times more likely than white women in the U.S. to die from pregnancy-related complications.
Work
Explore highlights of the Center’s policy and advocacy work in U.S. states.
Bills on abortion, maternal health care, and assisted reproduction reflect a divided nation.
Voters in seven states approve constitutional amendments to protect abortion rights
Which states have made abortion illegal since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe?
More Highlights
Interstate Shield Laws
Interstate shield laws have become critical tools for protecting abortion providers, helpers, and medical records. Learn more.
Video Replay: Post-Election Briefing
Hear from the Center’s law and policy experts about what the 2024 U.S. election results could mean for the future of reproductive freedom in the U.S. Learn more.
U.S. Abortion Rights: Resources
The Center’s research and analyses on U.S. abortion rights and the forward fight for reproductive freedom.
2023 State Leadership Summit
State legislators and advocates strategize to advance reproductive rights issues at the Center’s State Leadership Summit. Learn more.
