New Study Reveals that Overturning Roe Will Not Impact Legality of Abortion in Most States

CLEVELAND, Jan. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Human Family Research Center, a nonprofit human rights organization, today released a comprehensive study analyzing the current status of state laws on abortion and what would happen if Roe v. Wade, the case that legalized abortion throughout the country in 1973, were overruled.

The study concludes that only eleven states (Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Texas) would have enforceable laws on the books that would ban abortion. These states represent only 19 percent of the U.S. population. For the rest of the states, new legislation would have to be adopted, or significant state case law precedent would have to be overcome.

"The results of this study will come as a surprise to many Americans," said Denise Mackura, President of the Center. "Overturning Roe and Doe would send the issue of when abortion should be permitted back to the American people. It will not result in making abortion illegal for most of the country."

The Center decided to conduct the "Life After Roe" study to examine the widespread popular belief that an overruling decision would make abortion illegal throughout the United States, or that an overruling decision would return the country to the state of law that existed when Roe was decided on January 22, 1973. As demonstrated by this study, there is no basis in fact for either belief.

"The findings of this study are as important for the general public as they are for our elected officials," said Ms. Mackura. "Critical legal decisions in the Presidential election should be made on facts we all have access to – not opinion," Mackura said.

A summary table of the study as well as a post-Roe map is attached to this release and can be found on the Center's website, www.humanfamilyresearch.org.

The mission of the Human Family Research Center is to provide research and advocacy that builds a better understanding of the inalienable value of every human being from the earliest moments of existence and to awaken a need to create a human community that understands the interconnectedness, value and importance of every human being.

Contact: Denise Mackura
(216) 548-9108

© 2016 Human Family Research Center. All rights reserved.
May be reprinted without permission but with attribution to The Human Family Research Center.

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SOURCE The Human Family Research Center

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