CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Thursday, North Carolina’s Democratic Governor Josh Stein announced new initiatives aimed at bolstering protections for certain healthcare providers and ensuring the confidentiality of patients’ reproductive health information. This move comes just days ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.
Democratic leaders, including New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy, have been taking proactive measures to enhance reproductive rights in light of potential anti-abortion policies that could arise during Trump’s administration. Throughout his campaign, Trump exhibited mixed views on abortion, leaving many uncertain about his plans once he takes office.
Stein emphasized his commitment to protecting personal privacy and healthcare choices during a press conference, stating, “I don’t know what will happen, but what I want the citizens of this state to know is that I am their advocate for personal privacy and their rights to govern their own health care decisions.”
The executive order issued by Stein directs state Cabinet agencies to refrain from cooperating with any prosecutions or penalties targeting healthcare providers who deliver legal reproductive health services, including abortion. Furthermore, state agencies are required to assess and enhance their data storage methods concerning patients’ reproductive health to ensure maximum privacy safeguards. The Department of Health and Human Services in North Carolina has been tasked with maintaining access to legal contraceptives and reproductive health medications.
This recent measure builds on a prior executive order from former Governor Roy Cooper, enacted in 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court annulled Roe v. Wade. Cooper’s directive provided protections against extradition for out-of-state abortion patients and prevented state agencies from supporting investigations into abortion seekers who traveled to North Carolina.
Stein’s latest actions further strengthen the long-standing efforts by Democratic governors to make states like North Carolina refuges for individuals pursuing abortions across the country. Notably, North Carolina remains one of the few Southern states without stringent restrictions on abortion access, which is currently limited to six weeks or less in many neighboring states.
In 2023, the Republican-controlled legislature passed a law that, amidst a veto from Cooper, effectively banned most abortions after 12 weeks. A federal judge previously invalidated part of this legislation mandating physicians to log the “intrauterine location of a pregnancy” prior to prescribing medication for abortion.
With the outcome of the 2024 general election resulting in Republicans losing their supermajority in the House, any future legislation surrounding abortion might face heightened challenges. This shift is likely to enhance the effectiveness of Stein’s veto power compared to that of his predecessor.
