With Roe overturned, state constitutions are now at the center of the abortion fight

Abortion rights protesters in Louisville, Ky., after the Supreme Court announced it had voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. On Monday, abortion rights advocates filed a lawsuit arguing that the Kentucky state constitution protects the right to abortion. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

For decades, the legal battle over abortion focused on the U.S. Supreme Court and its guiding document, the U.S. Constitution.

Now, with Roe v. Wade overturned, the legal spotlight has shifted to the states, where abortion supporters and opponents must contend with 50 different constitutions that, in many places, guarantee rights more broadly than their federal counterpart.