Naisha Mercury

This webinar will offer attendees an overview of changes in law and policy that impact access to reproductive health care directly or through indirect measures that deter pregnant people from seeking care. This webinar is an extension of a workshop held at the recent 2025 Public Health Law Conference and the bulk of the time will be devoted to attendees’ questions on the topics presented.

Menstrual health is a major area of reproductive health often overshadowed for the estimated 79.8 percent of those in carceral facilities of reproductive age. For some, menstrual hygiene products are easily accessible, whereas for others it is a constant struggle. Meaningful progress toward comprehensive menstrual equity for all incarcerated individuals remains limited and inconsistent across jurisdictions. 

As a result of the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs, advocates on both sides of the abortion issue turned to state constitutions to determine the contours of a right to abortion or to make clear no such right exists under state law. When abortion was on the ballot in 2022, voters in several states rallied to enshrine the right to abortion in state constitutions and rejected attempts to further restrict abortions in their states. In the wake of these successful ballot measures, state legislators throughout the country have sought to amend ballot initiative processes ahead of the 2024 elections. This fact sheet outlines recent proposed amendments by several states that are intended to thwart pro-abortion ballot initiatives.