Beckley Register-Herald, Fairmont Times West Virginian – Over the last two decades, West Virginia went from one of the bluest states to one of the reddest. It also went from a state with expansive abortion access to one that will likely see the end of the procedure should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade this summer. Read the full article.
As one of the nation’s most rural states, coal production is the economic centerpiece. When Democrat-led environmental regulations began to impact its production, many of the state’s workers blamed the party and shifted right. Conservative leadership took the opportunity to shore up abortion restrictions and successfully so in the latest session.
The battle over abortion access reached an apex in March, when Republicans passed Senate Bill 468, also known as the Unborn Child with Down Syndrome Protection and Education Act. The law prohibits patients from terminating a pregnancy based on the possibility that the fetus may develop a disability unless in a medical emergency. If the law is violated, professionals would be subject to discipline from licensing boards. It goes into effect in June.
