Abortion in Alaska

Abortion in Alaska is legal at all stages of pregnancy. In September 2024, an Alaska superior court judge struck down the requirement that only licensed physicians provide abortions, meaning that the procedure can now also be legally performed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants.{{Cite web|url=https://alaskabeacon.com/2024/09/04/alaska-judge-strikes-down-requirement-that-only-licensed-physicians-provide-abortions/|title=Alaska judge strikes down requirement that only licensed physicians provide abortions |work=Alaska Beacon|language=en-US|access-date=September 14, 2024}} As of 2016, Alaska does not require a minor to notify a parent or guardian in order to obtain an abortion. 63% of adults said in a poll by the Pew Research Center that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. The 2023 American Values Atlas reported that, in their most recent survey, 69% of Alaskans said that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-02 |title=Abortion Views in All 50 States: Findings from PRRI’s 2023 American Values Atlas {{!}} PRRI |url=https://www.prri.org/research/abortion-views-in-all-50-states-findings-from-prris-2023-american-values-atlas/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=PRRI {{!}} At the intersection of religion, values, and public life. |language=en-US}} Alaska was one of only four states to make abortion legal between 1967 and 1970, a few years before the US Supreme Court's decision in 1973's Roe v. Wade ruling. Alaska had consent requirements for women seeking abortions by 2007 that required abortion providers to warn patients of a link between abortion and breast cancer, despite it being scientifically unsupported.

The number of abortion clinics in Alaska has been declining, going from fourteen in 1982 to thirteen in 1992 to three in 2014. 1,547 abortions took place in Alaska in 2014, and 1,459 took place in 2015. There is state funding for abortions based on income.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

History

Alaska, California, and New Hampshire did not voluntarily provide the Center for Disease Control with abortion related data in 2000 or 2001.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5212a1.htm|title=Abortion Surveillance --- United States, 2000|website=www.cdc.gov|access-date=May 25, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5309a1.htm|title=Abortion Surveillance --- United States, 2001|website=www.cdc.gov|access-date=May 25, 2019}} In 2014, a poll by the Pew Research Center reported that 63% of adults in the state of Alaska believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, with 34% stating it should be illegal in all or most cases.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/compare/views-about-abortion/by/state/#views-about-abortion|title=Views about abortion by state - Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics |work=Pew Research Center|language=en-US|access-date=June 27, 2022}}

= Legislative history =

Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and New York were the only four states that made abortion legal between 1967 and 1970 that did not require a reason to request an abortion.{{Cite journal|last=Willke|first=J.C.|date=September 1992 |title=Very few illegal abortion deaths|journal=American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology|volume=167|issue=3|pages=854–5|doi=10.1016/s0002-9378(11)91601-9|issn=0002-9378|pmid=1530050|doi-access=free}} In 1970, the state repealed some of its abortion laws, along with Hawaii, New York, and Washington.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,878789,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201211449/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,878789,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 1, 2010 |title=Medicine: Abortion on Request|date=March 9, 1970|magazine=Time |access-date=October 15, 2012}} {{subscription required}} The following year, Alaska repealed its statute that said inducing an abortion was a criminal offense.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/whenabortionwasc00reag_0|url-access=registration |title=When Abortion Was a Crime: Women, Medicine, and Law in the United States, 1867–1973|last=Reagan|first=Leslie J.|date=September 21, 1998|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=9780520216570}} State law still required in 1971 that any woman getting a legal abortion in the state needed to be a resident for some specific period between 30 and 90 days.

Some states, such as Alaska, Mississippi, West Virginia, Texas, and Kansas, have passed laws requiring abortion providers to warn patients of a link between abortion and breast cancer, and to issue other scientifically unsupported warnings.{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2012/05/do_abortions_cause_breast_cancer_kansas_state_house_abortion_act_invokes_shaky_science_for_political_gain_.html|title=Do abortions cause breast cancer? Kansas State House Abortion Act invokes shaky science for political gain.|work=Slate Magazine|date=May 23, 2012 |access-date=June 28, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/gpr/09/4/gpr090406.html#t1|title=Misinformed Consent: The Medical Accuracy of State-Developed Abortion Counseling Materials|date=October 25, 2006}} The state was one of 23 states in 2007 to have a detailed abortion-specific informed consent requirement.{{Cite web|url=https://www.guttmacher.org/sites/default/files/graphics/gpr1004/gpr100406t1.pdf|title=State Policy On Informed Consent for Abortion |date=Fall 2007|website=Guttmacher Policy Review|access-date=May 22, 2019}} Alaska and Minnesota both require that women seeking abortions after 20 weeks be informed that, while experts disagree on the issue of whether or not a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks, it is possible.{{Cite web|url=https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2007/11/state-abortion-counseling-policies-and-fundamental-principles-informed-consent|title=State Abortion Counseling Policies and the Fundamental Principles of Informed Consent|date=November 12, 2007|website=Guttmacher Institute|language=en|access-date=May 22, 2019}}

House Bill 250 was introduced in 2017 by Rep. David Eastman (R-Wasilla). The bill was called the "Life at Conception Act", and it never made it out of committee in Alaska's House. In 2017, Washington State, New Mexico, Illinois, Alaska, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey allow by state law qualified non-physicians to prescribe drugs for medical abortions only.{{cite web|url=https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2013/01/13403/study-abortions-are-safe-when-performed-nurse-practitioners-physician-assistants|title=Study: Abortions Are Safe When Performed By Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse Midwives|date=January 17, 2013 |access-date=January 25, 2017}} In May 2019, Eastman introduced House Bill 178, which defines abortion as "murder of an unborn child"; the bill was never heard before a committee.{{Cite web|url=https://www.juneauempire.com/news/bill-introduced-in-alaska-house-would-treat-abortion-the-same-as-murder/|title="Dangerous and outrageous": Bill introduced in Alaska House would treat abortion the same as murder|last=McCarthy|first=Alex|date=May 17, 2019|website=Juneau Empire|language=en-US|access-date=May 23, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ktuu.com/content/news/Pro-choice-rally-against-House-anti-abortion-bill-happening-in-Downtown-Anchorage-510122061.html|title=Hundreds rally against House anti-abortion bill in Anchorage Saturday|last=Minemyer|first=Derek|website=www.ktuu.com|date=May 18, 2019 |language=en|access-date=May 27, 2019}}

In 2022, Governor Mike Dunleavy expressed interest in an amendment to the Alaska Constitution clarifying the legality of abortion in the state.{{Cite web|url=https://gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2022/06/24/governor-dunleavy-reacts-to-the-u-s-supreme-court-decision-overturning-roe-v-wade/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625005601/https://gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2022/06/24/governor-dunleavy-reacts-to-the-u-s-supreme-court-decision-overturning-roe-v-wade/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 25, 2022|title=Governor Dunleavy Reacts to the U.S. Supreme Court Decision Overturning Roe v. Wade|date=June 24, 2022|access-date=September 22, 2022}} 2022 happened to be the year that Alaska's regularly scheduled ballot question for calling a state constitutional convention was asked. Dunleavy and other anti-abortion advocates recommended voting "yes", but the question was resoundingly defeated, with 70% voting "no".{{Cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Ballot_Measure_1,_Constitutional_Convention_Question_(2022)|title=Ballotpedia: Alaska Ballot Measure 1, Constitutional Convention Question (2022)|date=March 1, 2023|access-date=August 22, 2023}}

In 2023, the bi-partisan coalition majority in the Alaska State Senate is consensus-focused, and unlikely to address controversial topics like abortion.{{cite web |url=https://alaskabeacon.com/2023/01/05/alaska-legislators-say-abortion-related-legislation-is-unlikely-to-advance-in-the-capitol-this-year/ |title=Alaska legislators say abortion-related legislation is unlikely to advance in the Capitol this year • Alaska Beacon |date=January 5, 2023}}

= Judicial history =

The US Supreme Court's decision in 1973's Roe v. Wade ruling meant the state could no longer regulate abortion in the first trimester.{{Cite journal|last=Buell|first=Samuel|date=January 1, 1991|title=Criminal Abortion Revisited|url=https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/faculty_scholarship/2174|journal=New York University Law Review|volume=66|issue=6|pages=1774–1831|pmid=11652642}}

In 1997, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in Valley Hospital Association, Inc. v. Mat-Su Coalition for Choice that the privacy clause of the Alaska Constitution protects the right to an abortion.{{Cite journal|date=November 21, 1997|title=Valley Hospital Association, Inc. v. Mat-Su Coalition for Choice|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12041124/|journal=Pacific Reporter|pmid=12041124|last1=Alaska. Supreme |first1=Court |volume=948 |pages=963–973}} This ruling remains in effect after the US Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in 2022.

In 2016, the Alaska Supreme Court struck down a parental notification law that had been established in 2010.{{cite web|title=Alaska parental notification abortion law struck down|url=https://apnews.com/article/f377dc791bb4493c8ae55bc3459896eb|access-date=August 16, 2023|website=Associated Press|date=July 23, 2016}}

In September 2024, an Alaska superior court judge struck down the requirement that only licensed physicians provide abortions, meaning that the procedure can now also be legally performed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants.{{Cite web|url=https://alaskabeacon.com/2024/09/04/alaska-judge-strikes-down-requirement-that-only-licensed-physicians-provide-abortions/|title=Alaska judge strikes down requirement that only licensed physicians provide abortions |work=Alaska Beacon|language=en-US|access-date=September 14, 2024}}

= Clinic history =

File:Number of abortion clinics in Alaska by year.png

Between 1982 and 1992, the number of abortion clinics in the state decreased by 1, going from 14 in 1982 to 13 in 1992.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RDqXplZptaIC|title=A State-By-State Review of Abortion and Reproductive Rights|last1=Arndorfer|first1=Elizabeth|last2=Michael|first2=Jodi|last3=Moskowitz|first3=Laura|last4=Grant|first4=Juli A.|last5=Siebel|first5=Liza|date=December 1998|publisher=DIANE Publishing|isbn=9780788174810|language=en}} In 2014, there were 3 abortion clinics in the state.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/how-many-abortion-clinics-are-in-america-each-state-2017-2|title=The number of abortion clinics in the US has plunged in the last decade — here's how many are in each state|last=Gould|first=Rebecca Harrington, Skye|website=Business Insider|access-date=May 23, 2019}} 90% of the boroughs in the state did not have an abortion clinic. That year, 37% of women in the state aged 15–44 lived in a borough without an abortion clinic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.es/abortion-access-in-america-maps-charts-if-roe-falls-2018-8|title=This is what could happen if Roe v. Wade fell|last1=Panetta|first1=Grace|last2=Lee|first2=Samantha|date=August 4, 2018|website=Business Insider|language=es|access-date=May 24, 2019|archive-date=May 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524083342/https://www.businessinsider.es/abortion-access-in-america-maps-charts-if-roe-falls-2018-8|url-status=dead}} In March 2016, there were 4 Planned Parenthood clinics in the state.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestate.com/news/databases/article67953487.html|title=27 states with the most Planned Parenthood clinics|last=Bohatch|first=Emily|website=thestate|language=en|access-date=May 24, 2019}} There were still 4 Planned Parenthood clinics the following year, all of which offered abortion services, in a state with a population of 167,815 women aged 15–49.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2017-planned-parenthood-locations-states/|title=Here's Where Women Have Less Access to Planned Parenthood|access-date=May 23, 2019|language=en}} Planned Parenthood closed a clinic in 2022 and another in 2024.https://alaskabeacon.com/2022/05/13/soldotna-planned-parenthood-center-is-closing-at-the-end-of-may/https://alaskapublic.org/news/health/2024-12-16/juneaus-planned-parenthood-health-center-is-closed-permanently

Statistics

In 1990, 69,000 women in the state faced the risk of an unintended pregnancy. In 2013, among white women aged 15–19, there were 130 abortions, 10 abortions for black women aged 15–19, 20 abortions for Hispanic women aged 15–19, and 70 abortions for women of all other races.{{Cite web|url=https://data.guttmacher.org/states/table?state=AL+AK+AZ+AR+CA+CO+CT+DE+DC+FL+GA+HI+ID+IL+IN+IA+KS+KY+LA+ME+MD+MA+MI+MN+MS+MO+MT+NE+NV+NH+NJ+NM+NY+NC+ND+OH+OK+OR+PA+RI+SC+SD+TN+TX+UT+VT+VA+WA+WV+WI+WY&dataset=data&topics=87 |title=No. of abortions among women aged 15–19, by state of residence, 2013 by racial group|website=Guttmacher Data Center |access-date=May 24, 2019}} In 2017, the state had an infant mortality rate of 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/states-pushing-abortion-bans-have-higher-infant-mortality-rates-n1008481|title=States pushing abortion bans have highest infant mortality rates|website=NBC News|date=May 24, 2019 |language=en|access-date=May 25, 2019}}

class="wikitable" \|+ Number of reported abortions, abortion rate and percentage change in rate by geographic region and state in 1992, 1995 and 1996{{Cite journal\|url=https://www.guttmacher.org/journals/psrh/1998/11/abortion-incidence-and-services-united-states-1995-1996 \|title=Abortion Incidence and Services in the United States, 1995-1996\|date=June 15, 2005\|journal=Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health \|volume=30 \|pages=263–270 \|access-date=June 2, 2019\|last1=Henshaw \|first1=Stanley K.}} ! rowspan="2" \| Census division and state	colspan="3" \| Number	colspan="3" \| Rate	rowspan="2" \| % change 1992–1996
1992	1995	1996	1992	1995	1996
US Total	1,528,930	1,363,690	1,365,730	25.9	22.9	22.9	–12
Pacific	368,040	290,520	288,190	38.7	30.5	30.1	–22
Alaska	2,370	1,990	2,040	16.5	14.2	14.6	–11
California	304,230	240,240	237,830	42.1	33.4	33	–22
Hawaii	12,190	7,510	6,930	46	29.3	27.3	–41
Oregon	16,060	15,590	15,050	23.9	22.6	21.6	–10
Washington	33,190	25,190	26,340	27.7	20.2	20.9	–24

class="wikitable" \|+Number, rate, and ratio of reported abortions, by reporting area of residence and occurrence and by percentage of abortions obtained by out-of-state residents, US CDC estimates ! rowspan="2" \|Location ! colspan="3" \|Residence ! colspan="3" \|Occurrence ! rowspan="2" \|% obtained by out-of-state residents ! rowspan="2" \|Year ! rowspan="2" \|Ref
No. \|Rate^ \|Ratio^^ \|No. \|Rate^ \|Ratio^^
Alaska \| \| \| \|1,990 \|16.5 \| \| \|1992 \|
Alaska \| \| \| \|2,040 \|14.2 \| \| \|1995 \|
Alaska \| \| \| \|16.5 \|14.6 \| \| \|1996 \|
Alaska	1,647	11.2	145	1,518	10.3	133	1.0	2014	{{Cite journal\|last=Jatlaoui\|first=Tara C.\|date=2017\|title=Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2014\|journal=MMWR. Surveillance Summaries\|language=en-us\|volume=66\|issue=24\|pages=1–48\|doi=10.15585/mmwr.ss6624a1\|issn=1546-0738\|pmid=29166366\|pmc=6289084}}
Alaska \|1,459 \|10 \|129 \|1,334 \|9.1 \|118 \|0.5 \|2015 \|{{Cite journal\|last=Jatlaoui\|first=Tara C.\|date=2018\|title=Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2015\|journal=MMWR. Surveillance Summaries\|language=en-us\|volume=67\|issue=13\|pages=1–45\|doi=10.15585/mmwr.ss6713a1\|issn=1546-0738\|pmc=6289084\|pmid=30462632}}
Alaska \|1,408 \|9.6 \|126 \|1,260 \|8.5 \|112 \|0.6 \|2016 \|{{Cite journal\|last=Jatlaoui\|first=Tara C.\|date=2019\|title=Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2016\|journal=MMWR. Surveillance Summaries\|language=en-us\|volume=68\|issue=11\|pages=1–41\|doi=10.15585/mmwr.ss6811a1\|pmid=31774741\|issn=1546-0738\|doi-access=free\|pmc=6289084}}
colspan="10" \|^number of abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44; ^^number of abortions per 1,000 live births

Abortion financing

17 US states, including Alaska, use their own funds to cover all or most "medically necessary" abortions sought by low-income women under Medicaid, 13 of which are required by State court orders to do so.{{cite web|url=http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/faq.htm |title=Frequently Asked Questions|author=Francis Roberta W.|work=Equal Rights Amendment|publisher=Alice Paul Institute|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417234051/http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/faq.htm|archive-date=April 17, 2009|url-status=dead |access-date=September 13, 2009}} In 2010, the state had 835 publicly funded abortions, all of which were state funded.{{Cite web|url=https://data.guttmacher.org/states/table?state=AL+AK+AZ+AR+CA+CO+CT+DE+DC+FL+GA+HI+ID+IL+IN+IA+KS+KY+LA+ME+MD+MA+MI+MN+MS+MO+MT+NE+NV+NH+NJ+NM+NY+NC+ND+OH+OK+OR+PA+RI+SC+SD+TN+TX+UT+VT+VA+WA+WV+WI+WY&topics=62&dataset=data |title=Guttmacher Data Center|website=data.guttmacher.org |access-date=May 24, 2019}}

Abortion rights views and activities

= Protests =

Women from the state participated in marches supporting abortion rights as part of a #StoptheBans movement in May 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/21/abortion-laws-stopthebans-rallies-set-across-nation-today/3750913002/|title=Abortion rights supporters' voices thunder at #StopTheBans rallies across the nation|last=Bacon|first=John|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=May 25, 2019}} Hundreds of women attended a rally in Anchorage at Town Square Park to protest legislation proposed in Alaska's House to restrict abortion rights. The event was organized by Planned Parenthood Votes and Alaska ACLU. There was another rally at the Alaska Capitol in Juneau in May 2019, in opposition to the bill proposed by Republican Rep. David Eastman of Wasilla.{{Cite web|url=https://www.citynews1130.com/2019/05/21/activists-rally-against-abortion-ban-bill-in-alaska/|title=Activists rally against abortion ban bill in Alaska|website=www.citynews1130.com|date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=May 27, 2019}}

Following the leak of the overturning of Roe v. Wade on May 2, 2022, Alaska saw abortion rights protests in Anchorage,{{Cite web|url=https://alaskapublic.org/2022/05/04/dozens-attend-rush-hour-abortion-rights-rally-in-anchorage/|title=Anchorage group rallies for reproductive rights in wake of Supreme Court leak|last=Chen|first=Jeff|website=Alaska Public Media|date=May 4, 2022 |language=en|access-date=January 15, 2024}} Fairbanks,{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsminer.com/fairbanks-protest/image_8e930a56-cb55-11ec-a988-67036bd3b01b.html|title=Fairbanks protest|last=Moore|first=Selena|website=Fairbanks Daily News-Miner|date=May 3, 2022 |language=en|access-date=January 15, 2024}} and Haines.{{Cite web|url=https://khns.org/haines-residents-and-students-rally-for-abortion-rights|title=Haines students and residents rally for abortion rights|last=Smith|first=Corinne|website=KHNS FM|language=en|access-date=January 15, 2024}}

Anti-abortion views and activism

= Views =

Rep. David Eastman (R-Wasilla) was censured by the Alaska Legislature in 2017 after he claimed that women used Medicaid support for abortion as a "free trip to the city".

= Protests =

A small counter-protest was organized by anti-abortion rights activists at the Alaska Capitol in Juneau in May 2019, in support of proposed restrictions on women's ability to access legal abortions in the state.

References

Alaska

Category:Healthcare in Alaska

Category:Women in Alaska