State Courts Assert Authority in Abortion Regulation Battles in Utah and Kansas

State courts in Utah and Kansas are considering whether their state constitutions require them to block or invalidate laws regulating abortion, more than a year after the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson. In Kansas, the legal battle revolves around restrictions on abortion medications, patient information, and a 24-hour waiting period. The Kansas Supreme Court's 2019 decision declaring bodily autonomy a "fundamental" right protects abortion access. In Utah, the state's attorneys want the state Supreme Court to overrule a lower court's decision to put a 2020 state law banning most abortions on hold. These cases highlight the ongoing impact of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the fierce court battles between Republican-controlled legislatures and doctors/clinics providing abortions.