Jul 6, 2022 - News

NC governor moves to further protect abortion access

Lucille Sherman

Illustration of a small blue megaphone against a red background. — Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Gov. Roy Cooper used his executive powers Wednesday to issue an order protecting access to abortion care in North Carolina.

Why it matters: The state is an island in a sea of red states that have restricted abortion access, making North Carolina a destination for thousands of women seeking abortions.

One third of the patients on North Carolina clinic schedules this week were from out of state, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic said.

Details: The order protects abortion providers and their patients, the governor's office said, by:

Directing cabinet agencies, including the state health department and the Department of Public Safety, to protect reproductive health care in the state.
Barring those agencies from requiring that a pregnant employee travel to states where abortion access is restricted
Directing DPS and law enforcement ensure people are not blocking access to abortion clinics.
Protecting patients who travel to North Carolina or abortion care providers in the state from extradition.
Barring cabinet agencies from cooperating with investigations in other states into people who obtained or provided reproductive health care in North Carolina.

Between the lines: With Republicans in power in the General Assembly, Cooper and Democrats have little power to enact abortion protections through legislation.

The move is also another sign that Democrats will highlight the issue of abortion repeatedly in the lead-up to the November election.

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NC governor moves to further protect abortion access

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