If Roe v. Wade is overturned, here's what happens

If it overturns Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court would unleash a series of state-level legislative battles and fuel heated public debate

It's also possible that the court will set a new, vague standard for abortion restrictions — opening the floodgates for additional litigation and slowing Republicans' efforts to prohibit the procedure.

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