Democratic pro-abortion Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed an Executive Order this week to protect abortion providers and women who cross state lines for an abortion procedure.
According to an announcement on Mills’ website, the order prohibits state agencies from cooperating with another state’s investigation into a person, organization or health care provider for providing abortions. In addition, the order directs “makes clear” that Mills will use her authority to decline extradition attempts from other states pursuing criminal charges against a person related to abortion.
“A woman’s right to choose is just that – a woman’s, not a politician’s,” Mills said in a statement. “This Executive Order makes clear that access to reproductive health care, and the health care providers who offer it, will be protected by my Administration.”
Mills’ announcement added that abortion is protected under Maine law. This comes after several states have prohibited or restricted abortion access after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in all 50 states in 1973.
“The Governor, in collaboration with the Legislature, enacted a law allowing physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses to perform abortions. She also signed legislation to require private and public insurance providers to cover abortion care,” the Governor’s announcement boasts.
Townhall covered this month how Washington pro-abortion Gov. Jay Inslee (D) issued a directive that prohibits the Washington State Patrol from cooperating with any investigatory requests related to abortion that come from states with strict abortion laws.
Inslee said in an announcement that his directive ensures that the Evergreen State will be a "sanctuary for any person seeking abortion care and services in our state.”
After Roe fell, several states’ “trigger” laws went into effect restricting access to abortion and protecting unborn lives. Legal challenges in some states have already taken place, as Townhall covered. In one case, the Texas Supreme Court allowed a pre-Roe law to continue, banning most abortions in the state, after a judge in a lower court blocked the law from taking effect overturn SCOTUS overturned Roe.