SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 24, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah’s controversial new abortion law is now effect.
S.B. 174, known as the Abortion Prohibition Amendments law, was passed by the GOP controlled Legislature in 2020 and triggered Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to scrap Roe v. Wade.
Utah’s Republican legislative leaders said Friday afternoon the law would go into effect once it was deemed to pass muster by the Legislature’s attorneys. Hours later, it did just that.
The statement announcing S.B. 174 had gone in effect was released by the Utah State Legislature early Friday evening.
The press release is as follows:
In accordance with state statute, the Legislative Branch’s general counsel determined S.B. 174 Abortion Prohibition Amendments meets the legal requirements to take effect, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling regarding abortion.
In 2020, the Utah Legislature passed S.B. 174, prohibiting all elective abortions in Utah, except in rare circumstances involving rape, incest or medical emergency, contingent on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, giving states the right to choose their abortion regulations. The U.S. Supreme Court’s official opinion was sent to the Legislature’s general counsel to determine if Utah’s statute may take effect.
Members of the Legislative Management Committee (LMC) have been notified and the bill is now in effect. Utah code is updated to reflect the changes.
Gephardt Daily will update this developing story as more information becomes available.
