In May 2019, Alabama passed a controversial abortion bill which aimed to ban abortions in all cases, with a few exceptions, according to CNN. In Georgia, lawmakers introduced the Fetal Heartbeat Bill in May 2019, which served to ban abortions after the six-week pregnancy mark. Other states soon followed suit, passing laws that would effectively overturn the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, which declared abortion constitutional.

These bills were extremely controversial. Some agreed with the new laws, arguing for the criminalization of abortion for those who received or performed them. 

Others strongly opposed the laws, citing the right of women to choose what to do with their body and separation of church and state.

However, almost six months later, most of the bills limiting abortion rights were blocked by District courts, according to Vox. This comes as a result of civil liberties groups like the American Civil Liberties Union suing and appealing the laws, hoping to overturn them in court.

On Oct. 29, 2019, a federal judge ruled the Alabama law unconstitutional. While many supporters of the bill oppose this decision, the writers of the bill may not necessarily agree with their anger at the ruling. Challenges like this were not only expected, but welcomed, as the goal is to eventually get the decision to the Supreme Court.

With a conservative majority in the Supreme Court, many hope that they will rule the laws constitutional. This would deal a blow to Roe v. Wade that would effectively allow any state to block abortion as an institution. 

While both sides wait for an appeal, the final decision on whether the bill will go into effect has yet to be decided.