Blue State Law Lets Abortion Providers Sidestep Accountability When Doling Out Drugs

Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed sweeping protections for abortion providers into law Monday and doubled down on making the state an abortion “safe haven.”

The law allows providers to have their names removed from abortion pill prescription labels and instead print the name of their practice in order to protect them from red state laws that would penalize or criminalize doctors who perform abortions, including by telehealth abortion pill prescriptions. The law comes after a New York doctor was indicted by a Louisiana grand jury in January for prescribing abortion pills to a minor in the southern state, which led to serious complications for the patient, according to the Associated Press.

“Reproductive freedom will always be protected in the State of New York — and I’ll never back down from this fight,” Hochul said in a statement announcing the bill’s signing. “I’m taking action to strengthen protections for health care professionals and their patients, ensuring New York is a safe haven for anyone providing or receiving reproductive care. At a time when fundamental rights are under attack across the country, we are doubling down on our commitment to safeguard access to reproductive health care and defend those on the frontlines of this battle.”

With several states instituting expansive pro-life laws after the fall of Roe v. Wade, telehealth has become an increasingly common outlet for women attempting to sidestep abortion bans. The number of abortions nationwide has increased in recent years largely due to the