States introduce new laws after Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge signed the state's trigger law into effect, banning abortion in the state.

The Arkansas Human Life Protection Act was passed in 2019 and included a provision to activate if Roe v. Wade was overruled in part or in whole.

The law makes performing or attempting to perform an abortion a. felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.

The only exception is if the mother's life is in danger.

Earlier Friday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson praised the court for its ruling, and tweeted, "For decades I have said Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided. Today, the Supreme Court overturned the abortion ruling and returned the issue to the states. Arkansas is a pro-life state, and we are able now to protect life."

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said Friday abortion is banned in the state after a trigger law went into effect following the Supreme Court's decision.

"My office and I will do everything in our power to ensure the laws of Louisiana that have been passed to protect the unborn are enforceable, even if we have to go back to court," Landry said in a statement.

Earlier this week, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill into law that strengthened the 2006 trigger law that went into effect Friday. The new law increases the penalties abortion providers face: prison terms range from one to 10 years and $10,000 to $100,000 in fines.

Criminal charges cannot be brought against a woman who receives an abortion. There are no exceptions for rape or incest, only when the mother's life is in danger.

Edwards also recently signed into law legislation that makes it illegal for anyone to send abortion pills by mail to Louisiana residents. Those who do face one to five years in prison and fines up to $50,000.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said a special session of the General Assembly next month will address abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

"The Supreme Court’s decision is clear, and it is now up to the states to address this important issue. We’ll do that in short order in Indiana,” Holcomb said in a statement. “I’ve already called the General Assembly back on July 6, and I expect members to take up this matter as well."

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, vowed to push for more abortion restrictions on the heels of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

"Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a resounding victory for the Constitution and for those who have worked for so many years to protect the lives of the most vulnerable among us," McMaster tweeted.

He added, "By the end of the day, we will file motions so that the Fetal Heartbeat Act will go into effect in South Carolina and immediately begin working with members of the General Assembly to determine the best solution for protecting the lives of unborn South Carolinians."

The law requires doctors to perform ultrasounds on pregnant women seeking an abortion to determine if cardiac activity can be detected, which typically occurs around six weeks -- before many women know they're pregnant.

The law had been blocked, pending the outcome of Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in a 6-3 vote along party lines.

Additionally, the state's attorney general, Alan Wilson, announced he has filed a motion in federal court to lift the injunction of the law.