Montana’s Pro-Life Ranking Continues Three-Year Slide Following Abortion Amendment

HELENA — Montana dropped to 32nd place in Americans United for Life’s annual “Life List” ranking, falling from 31st in 2025 and continuing a downward trend from 28th place in 2024, reflecting the impact of Constitutional Initiative 128, which enshrined abortion as a right in the state constitution.

Montana now ranks 32nd among the 50 states for pro-life legal protections, placing it below neighboring states like Wyoming and North Dakota in AUL’s assessment of safety for unborn children.

The declining ranking trajectory accelerated after Montana voters approved CI-128 in November 2024, joining six other states that “enshrined constitutional rights to unfettered elective abortion” that year, according to AUL’s 2026 report released in late October.

Americans United for Life, which describes itself as “the legal architect of the pro-life movement,” releases its annual Life List to evaluate state-level protections for unborn children. The organization measures states based on existing pro-life laws, regulatory frameworks, and constitutional protections.

Montana’s constitutional amendment, which took effect July 1, 2025, has drawn continued legal challenges from pro-life organizations. Montana Family Foundation filed a district court challenge seeking to nullify CI-128 after the Montana Supreme Court rejected their initial appeal.

The amendment’s passage marked a significant shift for Montana, which previously had various restrictions on abortion access. AUL’s rankings consider factors including parental consent laws, waiting periods, informed consent requirements, and bans on late-term procedures when evaluating state policies.

“Sadly, with CI-128 now on the books, Montana’s Constitution makes killing Montana’s babies more easy, profitable, and legal than ever,” wrote Montanans for Life in an August analysis of the amendment’s impact.

The 2024 election cycle saw abortion rights measures pass in seven states, creating new constitutional abortion rights that AUL says have complicated the legal landscape for pro-life advocacy. Montana joined Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and New York in this category.

The ranking methodology typically evaluates existing statutes, regulatory oversight of abortion facilities, and constitutional language regarding reproductive rights. States with comprehensive pro-life legal frameworks generally rank higher, while those with constitutional rights to abortion tend to score lower.

Despite the ranking drop, pro-life organizations in Montana continue pursuing alternative approaches to support women and children. Montanans for Life recently announced plans to install Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Missoula and other locations statewide, providing anonymous surrender options for newborns.

Montana Family Foundation continues its legal challenge to CI-128, arguing the constitutional amendment should be invalidated on procedural grounds.

The complete 2026 Life List rankings and methodology are available on AUL’s website, providing detailed breakdowns of how each state scored across various pro-life policy categories.