Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker issued an executive order Friday protecting abortion rights in the Bay State, coming just hours after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and stripped away access to reproductive health care for millions of women across the United States.
“I am deeply disappointed in today’s decision by the Supreme Court which will have major consequences for women across the country who live in states with limited access to reproductive health care services,” Baker, a Republican, said in a statement Friday morning.
The executive order — echoing a provision unanimously adopted by the Massachusetts Senate last month during budget deliberations — shields abortion care providers who deliver treatment for non-Massachusetts residents, including those from states that have outlawed abortions.
Massachusetts will not comply with extradition requests from other states seeking to criminally charge abortion providers or individuals who received care in the commonwealth, under Baker’s order. State Executive Department agencies are also barred from helping other states investigating providers or patients.
Baker’s order prevents Massachusetts providers from losing their professional licenses or being disciplined if they face out-of-state charges, as well.
“This executive order will further preserve that right and protect reproductive health care providers who serve out of state residents,” Baker said in his statement. “In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v Wade, it is especially important to ensure that Massachusetts providers can continue to provide reproductive health care services without concern that the laws of other states may be used to interfere with those services or sanction them for providing services that are lawful in the Commonwealth.”
Read Baker’s executive order here.
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