Abortion USA

[Brian Peacock]

Abortion shield laws face mounting pressure

Republicans are waging a multipronged campaign against abortion shield laws in blue states, hoping to force the federal government to ultimately intervene.

Legal experts say the effort will be difficult — as some states have already learned.

State abortion shield laws are meant to protect providers and patients from civil and criminal actions. Eighteen states plus the District of Columbia have an abortion shield law, according to Rachel Rebouché dean of Temple University Beasley School of Law.

Shield laws in eight of those states protect abortion providers regardless of patient location, which has helped cover health care providers who send abortion medication to telehealth patients living in states where the procedure is restricted.

Republicans are fighting the laws in court, while also pushing for a federal law that supersedes the protection.

More than a dozen GOP attorneys general recently urged congressional leadership in a letter to preempt the state laws by passing legislation that bans shield laws.

Signees include Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill (R), both of whom have taken legal action against a New York doctor for allegedly prescribing and mailing abortion pills to women in their respective states...