What to KnowNew York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday signed a invoice to defend the identities of docs who prescribe abortion medicines, days after a doctor within the state was charged with prescribing abortion drugs to a pregnant minor in Louisiana.The brand new legislation, which took impact instantly, permits docs to request for his or her names to be left off abortion tablet bottles and as a substitute record the title of their well being care practices on remedy labels.The transfer got here after a grand jury in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana indicted New York Dr. Margaret Carpenter and her firm on Friday for allegedly prescribing abortion drugs on-line to a pregnant minor.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday signed a invoice to defend the identities of docs who prescribe abortion medicines, days after a doctor within the state was charged with prescribing abortion drugs to a pregnant minor in Louisiana.
The brand new legislation, which took impact instantly, permits docs to request for his or her names to be left off abortion tablet bottles and as a substitute record the title of their well being care practices on remedy labels.
The transfer got here after a grand jury in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana indicted New York Dr. Margaret Carpenter and her firm on Friday for allegedly prescribing abortion drugs on-line to a pregnant minor.
“As other states turn to the dark ages, New York remains committed to being the light, a beacon for reproductive freedom,” mentioned Hochul. “If I don’t stand up and protect this doctor, who the hell will?”
The case seems to be the primary occasion of felony prices in opposition to a health care provider accused of sending abortion drugs to a different state, no less than for the reason that U.S. Supreme Courtroom overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Simply days earlier than that monumental resolution, New York handed a collection of payments drafted to defend docs who deal with out-of-state sufferers. The legal guidelines state that New York is not going to cooperate with lawsuits or felony actions in opposition to the docs, whether or not the providers had been rendered in particular person, by way of telehealth, or by way of the mail.
Hochul, a Democrat, mentioned she wouldn’t signal an extradition request to ship Carpenter to Louisiana and mentioned authorities in Louisiana found the title of the physician as a result of it was on the remedy label.
“After today, that will no longer happen,” the governor mentioned on the invoice signing. “By no means below any circumstances will I signal an extradition settlement that sends our physician into harms approach to be prosecuted as a felony for merely following her oath.”
Prosecutors in Louisiana mentioned the woman skilled a medical emergency after taking the remedy and needed to be transported to the hospital. It isn’t clear how far alongside she was in her being pregnant. The woman’s mom, who was additionally charged, turned herself in to police on Friday.
District Lawyer Tony Clayton, the prosecutor within the Louisiana case, mentioned the arrest warrant for Carpenter is “nationwide” and that she might face arrest in states with anti-abortion legal guidelines.
Louisiana has a near-total abortion ban. Physicians convicted of performing abortions, together with one with drugs, resist 15 years in jail, $200,000 in fines and the lack of their medical license.
Hochul mentioned she would push for an additional piece of laws this yr that may require pharmacists to stick to docs’ requests that their title is left off a prescription label.
Carpenter was beforehand sued by the legal professional normal of Texas for allegations of sending abortion drugs to Texas, although that case didn’t contain felony prices.
Capsules have develop into the most typical technique of abortion within the U.S. and are on the middle of assorted political and authorized battles within the state-by-state patchwork of guidelines governing abortion for the reason that overturning of Roe v. Wade.
AP author Sara Cline contributed from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
