A judge said a lawsuit against Alabama’s attorney general can keep going. The suit is about a threat to prosecute people who help with abortions outside the state. The Yellowhammer Fund, which supports people needing out-of-state abortions in the Deep South, brought the case. They say the attorney general’s threats make them scared to help.
Alabama mostly banned abortions, even in cases of rape or incest, after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Last year, the attorney general said he’d prosecute anyone helping with abortions. This caused confusion and fear for health workers and groups like the Yellowhammer Fund.
The judge’s decision said the Constitution protects the right to travel and engage in lawful activities in other states, including getting an abortion. He said the attorney general can’t prosecute people for helping with lawful out-of-state activities.
The ACLU also sued the attorney general for threatening providers with felony charges if they help Alabama residents get abortions out of state. They said this ruling shows that efforts to stop people in states with bans from getting legal out-of-state abortions are unconstitutional.
The state faced a big fight over reproductive rights after its Supreme Court said frozen embryos are children, making those who destroy them liable for death. This led to a halt in IVF services, but lawmakers passed new laws to address this.
