North Carolina - What to watch in 2026
As of October, North Carolina is a state where recent shifts in political control have directly shaped women's rights policy. Because many protections are established through state law …
Latest news (Page 14)
The Voting Rights Act is on the ropes
A key part of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) — Section 2 — is now in jeopardy. After a federal appeals court ruled that regular citizens and civil-rights groups can no …
California’s Medi-Cal program faces state and federal budget pressures
California’s Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, covers roughly one in three Californians — more than 15 million people. It’s one of the most generous Medicaid programs in the …
Wisconsin considering domestic violence safety measures
Wisconsin currently has no “red-flag” law, meaning there’s no way to temporarily remove guns from a person showing clear signs of violence or self-harm unless they’ve …
Across Oregon, violence survivors’ safety relies on uneven access
Oregon has some strong laws designed to prevent violence and protect survivors, including orders that allow courts to remove firearms from people who pose a serious risk. However, for many …
The shrinking reality of “legal” abortion
Last updated: April 2026 As of April 2026, abortion protections exist in 31 states and the District of Columbia, yet access is dramatically shrinking because of federal funding cuts, hospital …
White House moves to expand IVF access
On October 16, 2025, the White House announced new steps to make in-vitro fertilization (IVF) more affordable and widely available. The plan includes a partnership with a major drug …
Virginia expands privacy protections for reproductive and sexual health data
In 2024 and 2025, Virginia enacted new protections limiting how menstrual, reproductive, and sexual health data can be accessed or used. SB 16 (2024) bars law enforcement from obtaining menstrual …
Wisconsin 1849 abortion ban removed
On July 2, 2025, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the state’s 1849 abortion ban was unenforceable, finding that modern laws—such as the 20-week limit—govern current …
Changes to Violence Against Women Act funding: what’s at stake for domestic violence survivors?
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice changed the rules for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grants — the main federal funding source for survivor programs. The new rules …
Why stories about girls and young women are disappearing from some Virginia schools
In July 2025, a statewide review found that Virginia schools removed more than 220 books from libraries and classrooms between 2020 and 2025 — but the vast majority of those removals …
Title X family-planning funds frozen
On April 1, 2025, the Trump administration withheld Title X family-planning grants from 16 grantees in 23 states, disrupting funding for birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing, and other …
Abortions paused in WI to protect Medicaid healthcare
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin stopped providing abortions starting October 1, 2025, even though abortion remains legal in the state. The cause is due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act …