Utah’s trigger law takes effect, banning elective abortions statewide

A rally against the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade at the Utah State Capitol on Friday. Photo: TownLift

SALT LAKE CITY — In 2020, Gov. Gary Herbert signed Senate Bill 174, prohibiting all elective abortions in Utah, except in rare circumstances involving rape, incest, or medical emergency — contingent on the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

With the Supreme Court’s decision to officially overturn Roe, the Utah Legislative Branch’s general counsel determined late Friday that S.B. 174 meets the legal requirements to take effect. The state law punishes violators with up to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

“Members of the Legislative Management Committee have been notified and the bill is now in effect. Utah code is updated to reflect the changes,” the Senate Majority Caucus said in a statement.

“As soon as it’s certified, we will have to stop performing any abortions here in Utah,” President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Council of Utah Karrie Galloway said earlier on Friday. “And we will have to direct anyone who needs comprehensive reproductive health care to a friendlier state in the union — of which we have many — to be able to live their lives as they want.”

Wider abortion access is available in Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico.

Utah House Rep. Jennifer Dailey Provost (D) of Salt Lake City told Fox 13 that she’s drafting legislation that targets the rape reporting requirement in S.B. 174.

“The reporting requirement wouldn’t only be to police. You could report to a rape crisis center, a health care provider, but you would have to say ‘I was raped,’ but you wouldn’t necessarily file a police report and open a case,” she told Fox 13.