What's Happening

Legal

Pregnant People Faced Higher Risk of Prosecution Post-Roe

What's going on: A new report has found that the number of individuals who faced criminal charges related to their pregnancies increased in the first year post-Roe. Pregnancy Justice, the nonprofit behind the report, recorded 210 cases — the most in a single year since tracking began in 1973. The cases are likely an undercount, and most did not involve direct charges of violating abortion bans. Instead, the charges typically included child abuse, neglect, or endangerment. In some instances, the cases extended to criminal homicide or abuse of a corpse. And in most cases, prosecutors pursued charges without proving there was harm to the fetus. Five cases involved abortion, an attempted abortion, or researching the procedure. More than 100 of the prosecutions occurred in Alabama, where the state supreme court ruled that embryos are “extrauterine children.”

What it means: While pregnant people have faced prosecution even before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the absence of Roe may now embolden efforts to bring charges — especially from groups advocating for fetal personhood. The report found that prosecutors in these cases are advocating for embryos and fetuses as if they have full legal rights. Previously, such prosecutions were nearly impossible because Roe protected the federal right to abortion and established that constitutional rights did not apply to a fetus. Now, there are even reports of people who have experienced miscarriages who have been criminally charged afterwards for alleged abuse of their unborn child. Additionally, most of the information used in these prosecutions was obtained or disclosed in a medical setting, raising some concerns about increased surveillance of pregnancies in the post-Roe era.

Related: Some Unregulated Maternity Homes in Florida Are Accused of Controlling Residents’ Every Move (NYT Gift Link)

Politics

States Are Making Sweeping Election Law Changes…in the Eleventh Hour

What's going on: A number of states — including key swing states — are making changes to their election laws just weeks before voters cast their ballots in November. Some state legislators are altering not only how Americans will vote, but how election officials will tally the ballots and oversee the administration and certification of the election. In Georgia, election workers will now have to hand count the total number of ballots cast — a change that former President Donald Trump supported. At UNC-Chapel Hill, students and university staff can use digital IDs to vote, but this policy doesn’t extend to other schools in the state. In Wisconsin, ballot drop boxes are once again legal, but not all voting jurisdictions are choosing to use them.

What it means: Experts say last-minute changes to state election rules can lead to confusion, delay the results, and cast doubt on the integrity of the election. In some instances, the changes are happening in states that have already started mailing out ballots and early voting. In the case of Georgia, many worry hand-counting ballots could lead to the spread of disinformation and open the door to lawsuits challenging the results. As some states carry out their changes, others are resisting the pressure. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) said he has “no plans” to call a special session to consider legislation that would change how the state awards electoral votes, despite pressure from Trump.

Related: Former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance Are Hanging Out With Male Influencers (NPR)

International 

Meryl Streep Says Cats Have More Freedom Than Afghan Women 

What's going on: Women’s rights activists are urging world leaders to intervene and help women and girls in Afghanistan. Among the activists: Meryl Streep, who addressed the UN General Assembly earlier this week. In a speech, the Hollywood actress said: “A bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not in public” — referring to the Taliban’s new “vice and virtue” laws, which ban women from speaking in public and being heard singing or reading out loud, even from inside their homes. Women must now cover the lower part of their faces, in addition to the head coverings they were already required to wear. “Today in Kabul a female cat has more freedom than a woman. A cat may go sit on her front stoop and feel the sun on her face,” Streep added. The Taliban’s restrictions also prevent women or girls from looking directly at men they aren’t related or married to. In response to Streep’s comments, a Taliban spokesperson told BBC they “highly respected” women “in their role as mother, sister, wife,” adding they would “never compare them to cats.”

What it means: The new “morality” laws add to the many restrictions already imposed on women and girls since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021. Women and girls were already banned from attending school beyond the sixth grade or entering parks and gyms. Some women have found ways to secretly circumvent these draconian rules, like taking online classes to continue their education, though the risk of jail or other punishments remains. Meanwhile, even Afghan men have started facing some restrictions, like being forced to keep a beard (The Washington Post notes some now regret not speaking up when only women were subjected to these harsh laws…). In the wake of all this, Streep called for the international community to “stop the slow suffocation” of Afghan girls and women, adding: “The way that this culture — this society — has been upended is a cautionary tale for the rest of the world.” 

Related: President Joe Biden Reflects On His Legacy at the UN General Assembly (ABC News)