The Georgia Supreme Court has temporarily reinstated a 6-week abortion ban across the state effective one week after a state court overturned the law, declaring it unconstitutional in a 26-page opinion that compared the state’s abortion ban to the Handmaid’s Tale. The 2019 ban, known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act, will be reinstated at 5 p.m. on Oct. 7, meaning abortion will once again be inaccessible for the vast majority of Georgia residents until the state supreme court issues a decision. 

More: Judge rules Georgia’s six week abortion ban unconstitutional

When the six-week abortion ban was overturned on Sept. 30, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr immediately appealed the ruling, and filed an emergency motion requesting that the state supreme court reinstate the LIFE Act while the justices considered the case. The court’s ruling today granted that injunction, temporarily preventing the lower court’s ruling from taking effect.  

The renewed battle over Georgia’s abortion law is the latest development in a yearslong court case that was filed shortly after the law took effect in 2022. It comes a few weeks after reporting from ProPublica found that the law forced healthcare providers to delay medical care to pregnant patients, and linked the deaths of at least two women — Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller — to the ban. The story drew national attention, with Vice President Kamala Harris visiting Atlanta to promote reproductive rights across the state. 

More: Kamala Harris addresses abortion bans, reproductive rights at Atlanta rally

SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, the organization that originally filed the lawsuit challenging Georgia’s abortion ban, condemned the Georgia Supreme Court’s decision in a statement released Monday. 

“Today, the Georgia Supreme Court sided with anti-abortion extremists,” Monica Simpson, the executive director of SisterSong said. “Every minute this harmful six-week abortion ban is in place, Georgians suffer. Denying our community members the lifesaving care they deserve jeopardizes their lives, safety, and health—all for the sake of power and control over our bodies.” 

She also highlighted the deaths of Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, who were both women of color in a state where Black women are more than three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. 

“The right to bodily autonomy transcends partisanship; it’s a human right that every Georgian deserves,” Simpson added. “We still believe in a Georgia where we all have the right to decide whether or not to have children and raise those children in safe, sustainable communities.” 

Feminist Women’s Health Center, an Atlanta-based abortion provider that quickly resumed abortion care during the week that the ban was lifted, also condemned the ruling. 

“Once again, we are being forced to turn away those in need of abortion care beyond six weeks of pregnancy and deny them care that we are fully capable of providing to change their lives,” Feminist Women’s Health Center Executive Director Kwajelyn Jackson said in a statement. “This ban has wreaked havoc on Georgians’ lives, and our patients deserve better. The state of Georgia has chosen to subject our community to those devastating harms once again, even in light of the deadly consequences we have already witnessed.” 

The Georgia attorney general’s office did not respond to a request for comment. 

Read the Georgia Supreme Court’s order below:

Maya Homan is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY who focuses on Georgia politics. She is @MayaHoman on X, formerly Twitter.

ATHENS — Georgia football stock is back on the rise, ever so steadily, as Kirby Smart would prefer.

The No. 5-ranked Bulldogs slugged it out with Auburn amid a warm, but relatively flat, Sanford Stadium environment on Saturday.

Georgia prevailed 31-13 in a contested game where execution and clutch play appeared a bigger separator than talent and/or scheme.

Carson Beck was slightly more efficient than Auburn QB Payton Thorne — Beck 23-of-29 passing for 240 yards and 2 TDs, to Thorne’s 16-of-27, 200-yard effort.

The Bulldogs executed a key fourth down, Auburn did not. Georgia had 3 sacks and 5 tackles-for-loss to the Tigers’ 2 sacks and 3 tackles-for-loss. UGA generated 381 total yards to Auburn’s 337.

Kirby Smart’s team was just a little bit better in every area than the desperate Tigers, and that was enough

Here’s one opinion on how stock shifted in the 31-13 win over Auburn on Saturday:

Stock soaring

Kirby Smart wrapped his arms around his team after a shell-shocking 41-34 loss at Alabama created a potentially fragile environment and plenty of second-guessing on the coaching staff. Smart knows his team better than other coaches know theirs, and he understands how to manage through the difficulties and challenges of a long season. Make no mistake about it, the talented UGA players are necessary to win games, but Smart is the secret sauce that makes Georgia the most consistent winner in college football in this current era.

Stock up

Quarterback Carson Beck settled down and settled in, an efficient 23-of-29 passing with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions, looking very much the part of team leader.

Tailback Trevor Etienne was featured in the Georgia game plan, albeit, perhaps one week too late, and the Florida transfer led the Bulldogs in rushing (16 carries, 88 yards, 2 TDs) and receiving (6 catches on 6 targets, 36 yards).

Defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse is provided the sort of strong steady play needed, leading a D-Line room that is struggling to stay healthy and effective.

Receiver London Humphreys brings an explosive element to the WR ranks and is a player UGA fans should expect to see targeted more often.

Defensive back KJ Bolden was the highest-graded Georgia DB against Auburn, proving him the fast learner that Smart indicated he was back in spring drills.

Cornerback Daniel Harris has the look of a corner that teams do not want to throw on, and he plays physical against the run.

Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo isn’t getting nearly enough credit for the work he did to have Beck ready and the balanced offensive game plan he designed The Dawgs were 7-of-14 on third downs and have converted on fourth down six times in a row.

Stock even

Running back Cash Jones made the most of his five snaps, providing quality spot work that Georgia will need throughout the season at clutch times.

Receiver Dominic Lovett remains the most consistent and reliable target on the team, along with bringing great leadership and special teams play to the table.

Tight end Lawson Luckie is the pass catching threat among his peers, a young player who will continue to improve with each snap and opportunity.

Defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann is always solid — outside the Alabama game — but he’s still figuring out his best defensive personnel packages, as there are still too many missed tackles and assignments.

Tailback Nate Frazier brought a spark, which is what UGA should expect from an elite freshman prospect who is budding into a star.

Stock down

Defensive back Joenel Aguero is not cashing in on the golden opportunity he has been presented with, missing tackles and grading out lowest among the DBs per PFF.

Defensive tackle Warren Brinson is not back where he was before injury, and that was reflected in him being the lowest graded defensive lineman on the team.

Tight end Benjamin Yurosek probably isn’t accustomed to grading below the curve — Stanford students are elite — but he’s yet to meet the Georgia standard since his transfer into the program.

Safety Dan Jackson continues to make tackles, but he’s still a step behind in coverage, something that may not change against SEC competition.

Georgia fans and game managment personnel, aren’t going to want to see themselves on this list, but when the head coach calls the group in attendance out collectively it’s real. One onlooker didn’t think the band played enough, and Auburn had no issues handling the crowd noise.

As people in the Southeast pick up the pieces and figure out how to move forward after Hurricane Helene, volunteers from the American Red Cross are working around the clock in six states to help those who need it.

“It left thousands of lives changed forever. There was death and destruction – miles of which we haven’t even completely covered yet,” said John McMahon, with the Red Cross.

McMahon is from Solano County and is a member of the American Red Cross North Bay Chapter.

He’s working as a damage assessment manager in Georgia, sending teams out daily to survey and identify storm damage across 60 counties in the state.

“There are still some areas that are inaccessible. We’ve still got people who are missing,” he said.

He’s been in many disaster zones throughout his time with the American Red Cross.

“Every disaster is different. But, this one is huge,” he said. “The only one I can compare it to would be Superstorm Sandy.”

Millions of people throughout the region were without power. In Georgia, he says the situation is starting to improve.

“The power outages in the state of Georgia has dropped from over a million down to 143,000 now,” he said.

When the call came in to help, McMahon was ready to go.

“I’m going to be here at least two weeks, that’s my initial commitment,” he said. “I’ll probably be here longer than that.”

Why he’s compelled to help?

“I do it because it’s the humanitarian thing to do. I mean, we help each other,” he said.

And, it feels good to do good.

“See, I’m going to tear up just telling you about this. But, it’s people appreciate what we do,” he said. “They show their appreciation. It’s what makes it worth doing, it’s why we do what we do.”

There is a long and difficult road ahead for the folks who live in the region. McMahon takes pride in the fact that he plays a role in helping them find their way.

If you’d like to donate to the American Red Cross, you can text “Helene” to 90999. If you’d like to learn more about volunteering, head to their website.