Sign of desperation: Making it illegal to drive on roads to get abortions
That state’s six-week abortion ban allows any citizen to sue a person or organization that aids a woman. An organization, Sanctuary City for the Unborn, has been campaigning for local restrictions even in states with extreme abortion bans.
Even if someone is charged with these local travel bans, the laws would most likely be ruled unconstitutional — a violation of the 14th Amendment’s “right to travel” doctrine that allows citizens to move freely between states. Idaho is being sued over a law making it illegal to drive minors out of state without parental consent.
Yet, the community debate generated by these laws often frighten women who may seek abortions into believing their supporters could be sued for driving them. A leading activist described it as “building a wall to stop abortion trafficking.”
There has been some recent pushback to this crusade. The city of Chandler this month rejected the law, saying monitoring the roads was going too far. It’s a reflection of a growing conflict within the anti-abortion movement. Abortion-rights has won at the ballot boxes in seven states — even conservative ones — that have taken up the issue. And political analysts predict it will continue to be an election priority for suburban women.
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