What does overturning Roe v. Wade mean? Supreme Court decision's implications

The Supreme Court delivered a dramatic change to abortion jurisprudence in a Mississippi abortion case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, by overturning Roe v. Wade.

A leaked February draft opinion indicated that the court may move in that direction. The final opinion was released Friday, June 24. 

Overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that limited government restrictions on abortion, will allow states to change access to abortion, allowing state legislatures to pass laws banning abortions prior to fetal viability. Blue states, however, are looking to expand access to abortion.

How quickly state laws will change varies from state to state. Many red states have trigger laws designed to restrict abortion in the event that Roe was overturned. For example, Texas is currently defending an effective six-week ban, but will revert to a more restrictive law with Roe overturned. The state, which is where Roe originated, has a trigger law designed to automatically reinstate its previous ban.