Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed five anti-abortion bills into law, and plans to sign several more. Planned Parenthood of Montana has asked a judge to block two of them immediately.
The day after the legislative session adjourned, Gianforte held a ceremony with many from the Republican caucus to sign bills into law that aim to remove constitutional protections for abortion, protect providers who don’t want to perform abortions, and require reporting on effects of Medication abortions.
Gianforte included a tax credit for foster parents in his roundup of bills he says are “pro-life.”
“Today, I am proud to be celebrating 10 pro-life, pro-child, pro-family pieces of legislation.”
Planned Parenthood of Montana sued to immediately block a bill Gianforte signed that requires patients’ receive an ultrasound before an abortion that took effect immediately. Planned Parenthood is also seeking to block a policy to ban dilation and evacuation abortions because it has an immediate effective date. That bill has not yet been signed.
Planned Parenthood, one of three abortion providers in the state, says the bills violate Montana’s right to privacy. The Montana Supreme Court has previously held that the right protects access to abortion.
Gianforte also signed several anti-abortion bills in 2021, and all are currently tied up in court. These bills are likely to face the same fate while judges try to determine the constitutionality of each policy.
