As it looks more and more like the Trump Administration is moving toward a federal abortion ban, New York State is protecting medical professionals who provide abortion care. New York is one of eight states to have adopted laws that protect New York doctors from legal action when they prescribe and send abortion pills to patients in other states.
A New York doctor was charged with allegedly prescribing abortion pills to a minor in Louisiana. It appears to be the first case since the overturning of Roe v. Wade to result in criminal charges against a doctor accused of sending abortion pills across state lines. The law Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law took effect immediately, allowing doctors to prescribe abortion pills to patients out of state without having to put their name on the prescription.
The Louisiana DA said the arrest warrant for New York Dr. Margaret Carpenter is Nationwide, however, Gov. Hochul asserted that she will not be signing an extradition request to send the physician to Louisiana.
Louisiana has one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. Physicians face fines of $200,000, loss of their medical license, and up to 15 years in prison for performing abortion services.
This move by Gov. Hochul shows her dedication to ensuring the women of New York feel supported and safe in all of their health care decisions. And, more importantly, that they have control over their own bodies. Doctors from pro-choice states helping young women from near-total abortion ban states are saving lives, and Gov. Hochul ensured that would not stop by signing this bill.
The bill will require pharmacies to leave the name of the prescribing physician off of medicine labels, and instead only print the name of their practice. Thanks to Gov. Hochuls legislation, New York doctors are protected under a shield law, and are able to provide care through telehealth visits to women who live in hostile states where abortion is either heavily restricted or completely banned.
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