{"id":376799,"date":"2016-03-31T21:37:03","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:37:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/vermont-law\/vermont-abortion-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-12-20T14:09:13","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T19:09:13","slug":"vermont-abortion-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/vermont-law\/vermont-abortion-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Vermont Abortion Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Vermont Abortion Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Summary<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Abortion is legal in Vermont at every stage of pregnancy.<\/p>\r\n

Introduction<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Abortion is one of the most heavily debated issues among Americans. The issue became more heated after the Supreme Court\u2019s decision in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women\u2019s Health Organization<\/i> in June 2022. In Dobbs<\/i>, the court essentially overruled Roe v. Wade<\/i> and returned the power to regulate abortion to the states.<\/p>\r\n

After the Dobbs<\/i> decision, only 16 states<\/a> chose to protect a woman\u2019s right to have an abortion. Vermont is one of these states. Even before the Supreme Court stripped the protections afforded to women in Roe v. Wade<\/i>, Vermont lawmakers reinforced a woman\u2019s right to an abortion with a new law protecting women\u2019s access to abortion procedures.<\/p>\r\n

Here, we will discuss the current abortion laws in the State of Vermont. We will also explain how the state has made great efforts to protect women\u2019s reproductive rights in the aftermath of Dobbs<\/i>.<\/p>\r\n

If you have additional questions about Vermont\u2019s abortion law, visit FindLaw\u2019s State Abortion Laws<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Federal Abortion Laws<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

In Roe v. Wade<\/i><\/a> (1973), the U.S. Supreme Court held that a person\u2019s right to privacy guaranteed them a right to abortion care. This federal court decision made it legal for healthcare providers to perform abortions, at least during the first trimester.<\/p>\r\n

After this landmark decision, women across the country knew that they had a constitutional right to have an abortion. Abortion providers understood that they would not face criminal charges if they performed an abortion or offered other health care services, such as prescribing the abortion pill. This all changed in June of 2022.<\/p>\r\n

In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade<\/i><\/a> in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. <\/i><\/a>This decision returned the power to regulate and prohibit abortion to the states. Since then, state law has regulated abortion in the U.S.<\/p>\r\n

Response to the <\/b>Dobbs<\/i> Decision<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

After the Supreme Court\u2019s decision in Dobbs<\/i>, all but 16 states made abortion illegal or restricted a woman\u2019s right to have an abortion. However, Vermont and essentially all of the New England states reinforced a woman\u2019s right to have an abortion.<\/p>\r\n

Some of the states that decided to maintain legal abortions<\/a> include:<\/p>\r\n