Political Rewind: Georgia's six-week ban on abortions is now law, effective immediately

Caption

A small group gathers at the steps of the Georgia State Capitol protesting the overturning of Roe v. Wade on Sunday, June 26, 2022.

Credit: AP Photo/Ben Gray

The panel

Amy Steigerwalt, @DrSteigerwalt, Professor of political science, Georgia State University

State Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, @mmo_mary, (D) Decatur

Maya Prabhu, @MayaTPrabhu, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 

Stephen Fowler, @stphnfwlr, State reporter, GPB News

The breakdown

1. Yesterday, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals approved Georgia's six-week abortion ban effective immediately.

• The court granted the law could be upheld as-is, surprising opponents who challenged the state's submitted idea of personhood.

2. The court cited Dobbs, which ruled that there was no constitutional right to abortion. 

• Dobbs struck down Roe v. Wade, which was law for almost fifty years.
• Georgia's constitution leads with a definition of natural personhood, something that could be changed by HB 481. Updating the definition of personhood could put many other legal issues in question, like claiming unborn dependents on taxes.
  • In Texas, a pregnant woman cited similar personhood laws that she said allows her to drive in HOV lanes.

3. In a state with high maternal mortality rates, there are new pressures on the legislature to widen safety nets.

• Medicaid expansion efforts look to reduce the burden on poor Georgians who don't have access to care.
• Poor Georgians are harmed most by abortion restrictions, who face hurdles like travel costs, child care costs, and available time off.

4. Since Roe v. Wade was struck down, abortion has become a leading issue in midterm elections.

• Both Gov. Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams put out statements in the hours following the court's decision.
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that 68% of Georgians opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It's unclear where public opinion lies following Dobbs, but it could promise to increase turnout for Democrats.

Friday on Political Rewind: Former AJC columnist Jim Galloway joins our panel.