Abortion rights have never been clear cut. Despite the decisive victory of Roe V. Wade in 1973, as time has gone by, the heated debate behind abortion has led an incredibly complicated history. In 2019, there are still eight states with only one abortion provider left. If Roe V. Wade were overturned tomorrow, abortion would immediately become illegal in four states.
With the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh into the Supreme Court, making conservatives the majority, many have felt that abortion laws are some of the most endangered — after all, it’s no secret that President Trump’s presidency has brought with it an increased anxiety over the fate of laws like Roe V. Wade that help protect abortion rights in the U.S.
On February 8, however, a small victory appeared in the shape of a Supreme Court win. The court rules 5-4 to stop a Louisiana law that would impose strict regulations on abortion clinics from going to effect. This is the first major case that deals with abortion since Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, the law would have led to the closure of two of Louisiana’s three abortion clinics. Louisiana has a population of 4.6 million people.
The decision only blocks the enforcement of the law while the Court decides whether to hear the case — which means the fate of this law, as well as other key initiatives tied to abortion — and the fate of Roe V. Wade itself — remain at risk.