Where Are Abortions Legal? All States Where Abortion Is Legal

Access to abortion has become increasingly limited since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. It’s hard to keep up with the abortion laws in the United States. Depending on your state and county, these laws can change at a moment’s notice. Legislators in Idaho are trying to make it illegal to help someone access an abortion. Arkansas proposed a “monument to unborn children.” In some states, even talking about abortions online can get you investigated for criminal activity. 

People with uteruses have to take extra precautions regarding their reproductive healthcare. While Biden announced plans to ensure healthcare workers abide HIPPA laws by not reporting abortions to the police, little else is being done to ensure abortions remain accessible and safe nationwide. And with reproductive rights in a constant—and in some cases deadly—state of flux across the U.S., it’s important to know where each state currently stands on abortion access.

The Center for Reproductive Rights abortion map

Information is power, especially in a world where everything changes rapidly. What’s true today may not be true tomorrow. One of the handiest resources for learning about reproductive rights in a specific area is the appropriately named Center for Reproductive Rights.

The Center for Reproductive Rights has an online map showing abortion laws by state and U.S. territory. The map indicates the level of abortion access in each state: expanded, protected, not protected, hostile, and illegal. When you click on a state on the map, there is a breakdown of the abortion bans, restrictions, and protections. This information and more can be downloaded via PDF and saved for offline access. The site also has a helpful glossary of terms for those who need additional clarification.

States with expanded abortion access:

• California
• Connecticut
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Minnesota
• Oregon
• New Jersey
• New York
• Vermont

States with protected abortion access:

• Alaska
• Colorado
• Delaware
• Florida
• Kansas
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Montana
• Nevada
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina

States without protected abortion access:

• New Hampshire
• New Mexico
• Virginia

States that are hostile toward abortion access:

• Arizona
• Georgia
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Nebraska
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania 
• Utah
• Wisconsin

States where abortion access is illegal:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Idaho
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• West Virginia

(featured image: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)