The Utah State Supreme Court on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, issued a ruling keeping a preliminary injunction in place that pauses a ban on most abortions in the state as a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood makes its way through the courts. The sponsors and supporters of the law responded to the decision shortly after it was published. (KUTV photo: Mike Stephen)
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Following an opinion issued by the Utah Supreme Court regarding the state's trigger law banning nearly all abortions in the state -- a law currently on hold -- Utah's lawmakers began weighing in with their own opinions.
The ruling kept in place an injunction that froze the law in 2022.
Republican state Sen. Dan McCay, one of the sponsors of S.B. 174, Abortion Prohibition Amendments, in the 2020 legislative session, scheduled a press conference to share his thoughts in the hours after the ruling was published.
Additional Utah politicians and groups with vested interests in the case at hand, Planned Parenthood Association of Utah v State of Utah, et al, were swift to share their own thoughts in statements and social media posts.
Those statements are being included below, in full and without edits, as we get them.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) and Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson (R)- joint statement
"We are disappointed by the Supreme Court's ruling that will further delay implementation of laws designed to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our state. We are hopeful that this decision will be a temporary setback and the laws will take effect following resolution of the case.
We are grateful for the state's current restriction on abortions after 18 weeks. Regardless of this outcome, our administration will continue to fight for all Utahns, including the unborn."
- Gov. Spencer Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson
Senate President Stuart Adams (R) and House Speaker Mike Schultz (R) - joint statement
“The U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Dobbs decision reinstated the authority of our state to regulate abortion policy. The Utah Legislature thoughtfully acted to ensure the state had a strong policy in place to protect both the unborn and the life of the mother. We are deeply disappointed by the Utah Supreme Court’s ruling today preventing our state’s abortion law from taking effect more than two years after the Dobbs decision. Through this ruling, the Utah Supreme Court is undermining the constitutional authority of the Legislature to enact laws as elected representatives of the people of Utah.”
Senate nominee Caroline Gleich (D)
Today, the Utah State Supreme Court released a decision upholding the injunction that blocked the enforcement of Utah’s abortion “trigger ban”. Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Utah, Caroline Gleich, released the following statement in response:
“Today, the Utah Supreme Court made the right decision by upholding a block on a near-total abortion ban. The decision safeguards families, freedom, and the future of everyday Utahns against the Republican agenda to exert further control over access to reproductive healthcare. This culture of disrespect and control, starting at the top with men like Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, trickles down to John Curtis, Spencer Cox, and members of the Utah Legislature. Their obsession with regulating private decisions is weird and misguided, especially given the lack of women involved in making these decisions.
“While this ruling is a temporary win for reproductive freedom in our state, our work is far from over. As this case continues to unfold in the district court, we must remain committed to electing leaders who will prioritize the rights and freedoms of all citizens.
“It’s time to ensure every Utahn has access to life-saving reproductive healthcare, including contraception and comprehensive sex education, and for leaders to address the socio-economic challenges of having children by subsidizing childcare, offering postpartum support, and paid parental leave.”
Alliance for a Better Utah
The Utah Supreme Court today held that a lawsuit brought by Planned Parenthood Association of Utah (PPAU) against Utah’s abortion trigger law can move forward with an injunction in place. The limited decision in Planned Parenthood Association of Utah v. State of Utah et al. means that Utahns can continue receiving abortion care in Utah while the courts determine the constitutionality of the Utah Legislature’s extreme abortion ban.
Jeff Merchant, executive director for Alliance for a Better Utah, issued the following statement in response:
“We are grateful for the impact of this important ruling from Utah’s Supreme Court. The freedom to make private decisions regarding one’s own body and receive critical reproductive healthcare is paramount. Utahns should celebrate that these rights were preserved today. We remain optimistic that as this case moves forward, the courts will maintain that private healthcare actions taken by private individuals should continue being preserved.”
This court ruling supports what the majority of Utah citizens have expressed they desire - a continued self-determination for their personal medical decisions. A poll taken by PPAU and Alliance for a Better Utah in 2020 showed 86% of Utahns believe that decisions about pregnancy related healthcare should be made by individuals in consultation with their doctors, as opposed to lawmakers being involved. This prevailing sentiment holds across religious faiths and political affiliations.