trigger law

{{Short description|Law that commences upon the satisfaction of certain requirements}}

A trigger law is a law that is unenforceable but may achieve enforceability if a key change in circumstances occurs.{{Cite Merriam-Webster|trigger law|access-date=2025-02-03}}

Examples

= United States =

== Abortion ==

File:US state abortion trigger laws.svg bans on abortion that made abortion illegal in the state following the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade

{{legend|#f3a4a8|Pre-Roe laws in place}}]]

In the United States, thirteen states, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma,{{Cite web|url = https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-of-the-united-states-oklahoma-bills-courts-supreme-courts-e1618c050c757894c0579b1fb9143e2a|title = Oklahoma governor signs bill to ban abortion if SCOTUS rules| website=Associated Press |date = 28 April 2021|access-date = 27 July 2021|archive-date = 27 July 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210727232219/https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-of-the-united-states-oklahoma-bills-courts-supreme-courts-e1618c050c757894c0579b1fb9143e2a|url-status = live}} South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas,{{cite web |last1=Najmabadi |first1=Shannon |title=Gov. Greg Abbott signs bill that would outlaw abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/16/texas-abortion-law-roe-wade/ |website=The Texas Tribune |date=16 June 2021 |access-date=3 September 2021 |archive-date=3 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903171741/https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/16/texas-abortion-law-roe-wade/ |url-status=live }} Utah, and Wyoming,{{Cite web |last=Exchange |first=Wyoming Tribune Eagle via Wyoming News |title=Gov. Gordon signs 'trigger ban' abortion bill |url=https://www.codyenterprise.com/news/wyoming_news/article_3a82bc40-a558-11ec-9048-5351e074ecaa.html |access-date=22 March 2022 |website=Cody Enterprise |date=16 March 2022 |language=en |archive-date=16 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316190727/https://www.codyenterprise.com/news/wyoming_news/article_3a82bc40-a558-11ec-9048-5351e074ecaa.html |url-status=live }} enacted trigger laws that would automatically ban abortion in the first and second trimesters if the landmark case Roe v. Wade were overturned.{{cite web|url=https://www.reproductiverights.org/what-if-roe-fell|title=What if Roe Fell?|work=Center for Reproductive Rights|date=21 February 2019|access-date=9 May 2019|archive-date=9 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509175533/https://www.reproductiverights.org/what-if-roe-fell|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last= |date=1 May 2022 |title=Abortion Policy in the Absence of Roe |url=https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/abortion-policy-absence-roe |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506052025/https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/abortion-policy-absence-roe |archive-date=6 May 2022 |access-date=6 May 2022 |publisher=Guttmacher Institute |doi=}}{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Kate|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-abortion-law-abortion-clinic-automatically-illegal-roe-v-wade-overturned-2019-04-22|title=Abortion would automatically be illegal in these states if Roe v. Wade is overturned|work=CBS News|date=22 April 2019|access-date=9 May 2019|archive-date=14 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514212738/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-abortion-law-abortion-clinic-automatically-illegal-roe-v-wade-overturned-2019-04-22/|url-status=live}} When Roe v. Wade was overturned on 24 June 2022,{{Cite web |date=24 June 2022 |title=Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade; states can ban abortion |url=https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0 |access-date=24 June 2022 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}} some of these laws were in effect, and presumably enforceable, immediately.{{Cite news |date=24 June 2022 |title=Abortion will soon be banned in 13 states. Here's which could be next. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/24/abortion-state-laws-criminalization-roe/ |access-date=24 June 2022 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}} Other states' trigger laws took effect 30 days after the overturn date, and others take effect upon certification by either the governor or attorney general. Illinois formerly had a trigger law (enacted in 1975) but repealed it in 2017.Sarah Mansur, [https://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/archives/2017/05/01/abortion-trigger-bill-5-1-17 Bill removes trigger from abortion law, but impact unclear] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702035513/https://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/archives/2017/05/01/abortion-trigger-bill-5-1-17 |date=2 July 2018 }}, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (1 May 2017).John Dempsey, [http://www.wlsam.com/2017/09/29/rauner-signing-of-abortion-bill-angers-conservatives/ Rauner signing of abortion bill angers conservatives] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702042508/http://www.wlsam.com/2017/09/29/rauner-signing-of-abortion-bill-angers-conservatives/ |date=2 July 2018 }}, WLS-AM (29 September 2017).{{Bluebook journal |first=|last=Note| title=Recent Legislation: Illinois Repeals Anti-Abortion Trigger Law| volume=131 | journal=Harv. L. Rev. | page=1836 | url=https://harvardlawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1836-1843_Online.pdf| year=2018}}

Eight states, among them Alabama, Arizona, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as the already mentioned Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas, still have their pre-Roe v. Wade abortion bans on the law books. In North Carolina, a prohibition on abortions after 20 weeks (excepting medical emergencies) was passed in 1973 but unenforceable due to Roe v. Wade and a court ruling that it was unconstitutional{{Cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Hoban |first2=Rose |date=5 May 2022 |title=In the wake of Supreme Court leak, NC advocates ponder the future of abortion in the state |language=en-US |work=North Carolina Health News |url=http://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2022/05/05/in-the-wake-of-supreme-court-leak-nc-advocates-ponder-the-future-of-abortion-in-the-state/ |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505114519/https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2022/05/05/in-the-wake-of-supreme-court-leak-nc-advocates-ponder-the-future-of-abortion-in-the-state/ |archive-date=5 May 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Donnelly |first=Claire |date=4 May 2022 |title=Here's how abortion laws in North and South Carolina could change if Roe is overturned |work=WUNC North Carolina Public Radio |url=https://www.wunc.org/news/2022-05-04/heres-how-abortion-laws-in-north-and-south-carolina-could-change-if-roe-is-overturned |url-status=live |access-date=6 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504230534/https://www.wunc.org/news/2022-05-04/heres-how-abortion-laws-in-north-and-south-carolina-could-change-if-roe-is-overturned |archive-date=4 May 2022}} until it was reinstated by U.S. District Judge William Osteen Jr. in August 2022.{{Cite web |last=Crumpler |first=Rachel |date=19 August 2022 |title=Abortion access diminishes in NC after federal judge reinstates 20-week ban |url=http://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2022/08/19/abortion-access-diminishes-in-nc-after-federal-judge-reinstates-20-week-ban/ |access-date=4 April 2023 |website=North Carolina Health News |language=en-US}} According to a 2019 Contraception Journal study, the reversal of Roe v. Wade and implementation of trigger laws (as well as other states considered highly likely to ban abortion), "In the year following a reversal, increases in travel distance are estimated to prevent 93,546 to 143,561 women from accessing abortion".{{cite journal|last1=Myers|first1=Caitlin|last2=Jones|first2=Rachel|last3=Upadhyay|first3=Ushma|date=31 July 2019|title=Predicted changes in abortion access and incidence in a post-Roe world|journal=Contraception|volume=100|issue=5|pages=367–373|doi=10.1016/j.contraception.2019.07.139|pmid=31376381|issn=0010-7824|doi-access=free}}

== Medicaid ==

The Affordable Care Act allowed states to opt in to a program of health care expansion, which allowed more residents to qualify for Medicaid. The cost of this expansion was primarily borne by the federal government, but the percent paid by the federal government was scheduled to decrease each year, reaching 95% by 2017 and below 90% by 2021; the remainder would be assumed by the state. As of 2017, eight states had laws that would trigger an end to participation in Medicaid expansion, if federal funding fell below a particular level.{{Cite web|last=Schencker|first=Lisa|title=Medicaid expansion could end early in Illinois under Senate Obamacare replacement bill|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-illinois-medicaid-expansion-senate-healthcare-0623-biz-20170622-story.html|access-date=3 September 2021|website=chicagotribune.com|date=22 June 2017 |archive-date=3 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903063143/https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-illinois-medicaid-expansion-senate-healthcare-0623-biz-20170622-story.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=says|first=Mike|title=NM Group Slams Obamacare Replacement Bill Ahead of Senate Debate - El Paso Herald Post|url=https://elpasoheraldpost.com/nm-group-slams-obamacare-replacement-bill-ahead-senate-debate/|access-date=3 September 2021|archive-date=3 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903063147/https://elpasoheraldpost.com/nm-group-slams-obamacare-replacement-bill-ahead-senate-debate/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Allen|first=Kristin|date=11 November 2020|title=A Short-Term Path to Avoid ACA Uncertainty as the Pandemic Continues|url=https://www.healthmanagement.com/blog/a-short-term-path-to-avoid-aca-uncertainty-as-the-pandemic-continues/|access-date=3 September 2021|website=Health Management Associates|language=en-US|archive-date=3 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903063145/https://www.healthmanagement.com/blog/a-short-term-path-to-avoid-aca-uncertainty-as-the-pandemic-continues/|url-status=live}}{{Update inline|date=September 2021}} Unlike abortion trigger laws prior to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, these are not unconstitutional at the moment and are only inactive because they rely on certain conditions to activate.

== Same-sex marriage ==

{{see|U.S. state constitutional amendments banning same-sex unions}}

In the 2015 Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, all state constitutional and statutory bans of same-sex marriage were made null and void. However, if the precedent was overturned it would restore the bans in thirty-five states.{{cite news |title=Without Obergefell, Most States Would Have Same-Sex Marriage Bans |url=https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/07/07/without-obergefell-most-states-would-have-same-sex-marriage-bans |access-date=24 August 2022 |work=The Pew Charitable Trusts |language=en}} In his concurring opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said the court should reconsider the Obergefell ruling.{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Mary |title=Roe overturn sparks fears same-sex marriage protection could be repealed too |url=https://www.wrdw.com/2022/07/29/roe-overturn-sparks-fears-same-sex-marriage-protection-could-be-repealed-too/ |access-date=24 August 2022 |work=WRDW |language=en}} Nevada became the first state to repeal its amendment banning same-sex marriage and recognize it in the Nevada state constitution in 2020.{{cite news |title=Nevada becomes first state to recognize gay marriage in state constitution |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/nevada-becomes-first-state-recognize-gay-marriage-state-constitution-n1246607 |access-date=24 August 2022 |work=NBC News |language=en}}

== Gun control ==

In July 2023, the Indianapolis City-County Council passed an assault weapons ban trigger law, which can only go into effect once the Indiana gun control state preemption law is repealed or invalidated.

== Rent control ==

Richmond, California has strict ordinances related to rent control that will take effect in the event that the statewide Costa–Hawkins Rental Housing Act is repealed.{{citation |title=FAIR RENT, JUST CAUSE FOR EVICTION AND HOMEOWNER PROTECTION|url=https://library.municode.com/ca/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=ARTXIPUSAWE_CH11.100FAREJUCAEVHOPR_11.100.030DE|access-date=8 September 2023}}

== Elections ==

The states of Iowa and New Hampshire have trigger laws mandating that the election administrators place the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire presidential primary ahead of any other state's nomination event for presidential candidates of major parties.

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact uses a trigger portion in which the Interstate compact comes into effect upon accession by enough states amounting to 270 electoral votes.