Arkansas Judge Revives Lawsuit Against State’s Near-Total Abortion Ban

Each week, Rewire News Group editors scour headlines nationwide—from lawsuits over abortion access to LGBTQ+ rights—to bring you the most urgent news in reproductive justice. Here’s this week’s latest. Judge revives case over constitutionality of Arkansas’ abortion ban A lawsuit against Arkansas’ ne…

Arkansas Judge Revives Lawsuit Against State’s Near-Total Abortion Ban

Each week, Rewire News Group editors scour headlines nationwide—from lawsuits over abortion access to LGBTQ+ rights—to bring you the most urgent news in reproductive justice. Here’s this week’s latest.

Judge revives case over constitutionality of Arkansas’ abortion ban

A lawsuit against Arkansas’ near-total abortion ban was revived this week when a judge reversed her own April 2026 dismissal of the case. An OB-GYN and six women whose abortion care was threatened argue that the ban violates the state constitution. The judge initially tossed the case because a 2025 state law required appeals courts to handle certain claims, then changed her mind after a recent state supreme court ruling. The plaintiffs’ attorney said the women “will testify to their horrific experiences.”

National Abortion Hotline staff strike over lack of AI protections

Employees of the country’s largest abortion hotline went on strike this week over fears that AI may take their jobs. The National Abortion Hotline, operated by the National Abortion Federation, provides financial assistance, options counseling, and provider referrals to more than 100,000 callers each year. Despite NAF’s claims that it has no plans to replace staff with AI, the union says management is refusing to codify a guarantee against this into their labor contract, Autonomy News reported. The walk-off was scheduled to last 24 hours.

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Maryland passes EMTALA-like law protecting emergency abortions

Maryland hospitals must continue providing life-saving emergency abortion care. Technically, that’s true of all Medicare-funded hospitals under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. But last year, the Trump administration subverted that 1986 law by rescinding Biden-era guidance requiring ER doctors to provide emergency abortion care—even in states with abortion bans. Maryland’s new law should help ensure “this standard of care” cannot “be ripped away from women,” said Maryland Sen. Clarence Lam.

Editor’s note (May 29, 2026): This story has been updated to clarify the scheduled length of the abortion hotline workers’ strike.

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