The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals won’t decide the fate of a group of pro-life laws from Arkansas until after the U.S. Supreme issues what could be a landmark decision this summer, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
In 2017 the Arkansas Legislature passed bills:
- Prohibiting dismemberment abortion
- Prohibiting abortions performed solely because of the baby’s sex
- Requiring reporting of abortions performed on young girls
- Requiring aborted babies to be respectfully buried or cremated rather than incinerated or sold to research companies
Pro-abortion groups sued the state to have these laws overturned.
You can read a breakdown of the legal arguments about these laws here.
After being tied up in court for nearly three years, the Eighth Circuit has indicated it will not rule on Arkansas’ pro-life laws until after the U.S. Supreme Court issues a decision in June Medical Services v. Russo.
The June Medical Services case has to do with abortion legislation in Louisiana.
Many believe the court’s decision in the case may chip away at past abortion rulings like Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and even Roe v. Wade.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case earlier this month, and will issue an opinion sometime this spring or summer.
If the court upholds Louisiana’s pro-life laws, then Arkansas’ pro-life laws should stand.
If the court strikes down Louisiana’s pro-life laws, Arkansas’ laws could still be upheld, but the courts may not be as favorable to them.
