**Georgia Supreme Court Reinstates 6-Week Abortion Ban**

The Georgia Supreme Court has reinstated the state’s law that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy while it reviews an appeal to a recent lower court decision. This decision from the high court came into effect at 5 p.m. on Monday, affecting abortion access across Georgia.

The law, known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act (LIFE Act), had previously been struck down by Judge Robert C.I. McBurney of the Fulton County Superior Court on September 30. Judge McBurney deemed the act unconstitutional under Georgia’s State Constitution, arguing that it violated the concept of liberty which grants women the autonomy over their bodies and health care decisions.

This reinstatement by the Georgia Supreme Court reverts the temporary period during which abortions were permitted up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. Since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn the federal constitutional right to abortion, individual states have gained the authority to set their own abortion regulations. In response, about 20 states, including Georgia, have imposed prohibitive measures, significantly impacting abortion access in the South and triggering various legal challenges.

As the Georgia Supreme Court deliberates on the appeal, the revived LIFE Act restricts abortion procedures, marking a contentious chapter in the ongoing debate over reproductive rights in the state.