Missouri on Friday became the first US state to outlaw abortion after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, a 1973 ruling that federally protected the right to abortion.
“Following the [Supreme Court of the United States] ruling overturning Roe v Wade, Missouri has just become the first in the country to effectively end abortion with our [attorney general] opinion signed moments ago,” Missouri’s Attorney General Eric Schmitt said on Twitter.
“This is a monumental day for the sanctity of life.”
Missouri’s Republican Governor Mike Parson said in a statement: “We are happy that the US Supreme Court has corrected this error and returned power to the people and the states to make these decisions.
“Today, our efforts have produced what generations of Missourians have worked and prayed for.
“Today, we have won our fight to protect innocent life.”
Missouri’s law creates criminal liability for abortion providers, but establishes protections for women who receive abortions from criminal prosecutions.
President Joe Biden spoke out against the court’s decision.
“State laws banning abortion are automatically taking effect today — jeopardising the health of millions of women, some without exceptions.”
Friday’s ruling effectively gave US states the right to make their own decisions on abortion rights.
“Since taking office, I have always fought to protect the unborn. Because of our action today, millions of lives will be protected moving forward,” Mr Schmitt said in another tweet on Friday.
More than a dozen states across the US have passed so-called trigger legislation that will introduce abortion ban laws within 30 days of the Supreme Court decision.
These include Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Former vice president Mike Pence called on every US state to pass an abortion ban.
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