How federal laws set the baseline for women’s health, safety, and access
Federal laws play a powerful role in shaping women’s rights in the United States. Even when enforcement and impact
State-by-State
45 articles
Voting in NY: when courts, not voters, end up shaping the rules
New York’s voting system has been repeatedly reshaped by court rulings rather than voter-driven or legislative consensus. In recent
NYC launches the state's first pilot for free childcare
New York City is launching free child care for young children as the first phase of a broader expansion planned
New York’s abortion shield law survives its first legal challenge
New York’s abortion shield law has survived its first legal challenge after Texas attempted to enforce a civil judgment
Why voting access in DC remains exposed heading into 2026
In 2025, members of Congress introduced legislation aimed at increasing federal control over Washington, DC’s governance, including proposals that
Ohio’s voting rules are tighter—and legally contested—ahead of 2026
As Ohio heads toward the 2026 election cycle, voting rules in the state continue to shift. Recent changes to absentee
Medicaid expansion helped Ohio, but now hinges on federal funding
Ohio’s expansion of Medicaid significantly increased health coverage across the state and helped stabilize access to care, including maternal
Ohio lawmakers continue to test voter-approved abortion protections
Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment in November 2023 protecting the right to make decisions about contraception, pregnancy, and abortion.
DC’s laws strongly protect women — but Congress is reasserting control
Washington, DC can pass its own laws, but Congress has the power to block or overturn them. This structural reality
Two abortion bills show Wisconsin's deep divide as 2025 ends
In late 2025, Wisconsin lawmakers advanced two abortion-related bills that point in opposite directions. One proposal (SB 556) would expand
Wisconsin's creative new abortion bill - "Catch Kits"
A new Wisconsin proposal (AB 718) takes a different approach to restricting abortion — instead of focusing on patients or providers,
Reproductive care access in DC faces new federal pressures
Washington, DC, has some of the strongest legal protections for reproductive care in the country, strengthened further after the overturning
The criminalization of abortion care continues - in ND, SC, and MO
As lawmakers and courts revisit abortion restrictions across the country, more states are treating reproductive health care —including both pregnancy