Georgia and abortion: Where does the state stand?

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - Georgia is one of 26 states expected to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, according to the pro-abortion rights think tank Guttmacher Institute.

Of those states, 22 of them already have total or near-total bans on the books and 13 of them have trigger bans -- laws on the books that would allow the ban to go into effect immediately or soon after if the decision is overturned by the Supreme Court.

States with abortion bans or trigger bans (marked with an asterisk):

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas*
Georgia
Idaho*
Iowa
Kentucky*
Louisiana*
Michigan
Mississippi*
Missouri*
North Dakota*
Ohio
Oklahoma*
South Carolina
South Dakota*
Tennessee*
Texas*
Utah*
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming*

States likely to ban abortion:

Florida
Indiana
Montana
Nebraska

In 2019, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a law that would ban abortions after a doctor can detect a fetal heartbeat. The law is commonly referred to as the “heartbeat law.”

At this time, the law is not in effect because it was blocked by a federal appeals court.

As it stands, Georgia law generally prohibits abortion at 20 weeks post-fertilization, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Additionally, pregnant people who seek abortion care must undergo a mandatory 24-hour waiting period and biased counseling. Georgia also limits public funding for, and private insurance coverage of, abortion.

And, Georgia law generally requires that a parent or legal guardian be notified about a minor’s abortion unless a judge approves a petition by a minor.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, Georgia almost certainly will prohibit abortion almost entirely.

This map is current as of May 2, 2022, and will be updated as events warrant. Source: Guttmacher Institute.

if abortion is totally banned, 2.5 million women between the ages of 15 and 49 could be impacted.

The closest state to Georgia that does not have an abortion ban is North Carolina. The average one-way driving distance under a ban would be 203 miles, which is an increase of 186 miles from the current average 13 miles, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Click here to see driving distances for other states.