States Continue Fighting to Outlaw Abortion

States through-out the country are actively working on legislation to limit or even ban abortion. An update from Focus on the Family summarizes the fight:

South Dakota's Legislature voted to ban abortion earlier this year, with the only exception being when the life of the mother is in danger. Not surprisingly, that law is now caught up in the courts. Eleven other states, including Mississippi, Louisiana, Ohio and Kentucky have either banned the practice or have pending legislation to do so.

Meanwhile, six states have codified Roe, guaranteeing the right to abortion should the ruling ever be overturned: California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Nevada and Washington. Hawaii has been dubbed the "abortion state" after the passage of a law eliminating of residency requirements and ending a ban on late-term abortions.

John Long, executive director of Hawaii Right to Life, said there is a certain amount of apathy among residents there.

"Until the church, that sleeping giant, wakes up," he said, "I think we're going to continue to lose battles here."

But Mississippi Sen. Alan Nunnelee told Family News in Focus he senses a growing optimism in his state.

"We feel empowered in Mississippi," he said. "We began to feel that empowerment following the Casey decision."