North Carolina won't cooperate with other states' investigations into abortion providers, Gov. Stein orders

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein on Thursday ordered state agencies not to cooperate with investigations into medical professionals who provide legal abortions.

Stein’s executive order calls on cabinet agencies “to the maximum extent” allowed to not turn over medical records and data or use state resources to assist with civil, criminal or professional investigations into reproductive health care providers unless compelled by a court order.

Stein also ordered State Highway Patrol, Alcohol Law Enforcement and State Capitol Police not to arrest anyone charged with a crime in another state for providing or receiving reproductive health care in North Carolina. The order says Stein will “exercise his discretion” to deny extradition requests from other states for people wanted over treatment given or received in North Carolina.

Neither provision applies if the person breaks North Carolina law, according to the order.

The Democrat announced the order in his first visit to Charlotte since being sworn in as governor alongside Mecklenburg state legislators and abortion rights supporters. The provisions are similar to those in an executive order issued by then-Gov. Roy Cooper in 2022.

“There are other states that have passed bans on abortions and seek to come into North Carolina and govern the behavior of medical providers in this state,” Stein said. “They do not need to worry that the state of North Carolina will somehow assist law enforcement in another state to reach into North Carolina for having done something that is legal in North Carolina.”

Abortion was a major issue in the 2024 governor’s race. Stein said Thursday he’s concerned about the GOP-dominated General Assembly and a second Trump administration trying to restrict abortion access at the state and federal levels.

“I don’t know what will happen, but what I am trying to communicate to the people of this state is that they have a champion in me for their personal privacy and their right to make their own health care decisions,” he said.

Josh Stein executive order details

The executive order, Stein’s eighth since taking office Jan. 1, includes additional provisions related to reproductive health care.

Stein ordered cabinet agencies to review and update data collection and storage policies for records related to reproductive health care and location data from phones and other devices. The governor said the provision is in response to the General Assembly requiring clinics to provide some information on abortions to the state.

“I want to make sure that the women of North Carolina know that we’re going to do everything in our power to protect that privacy, to make sure that it remains sacrosanct, because (abortion) should be their decision,” he said.

The order also instructs the Department of Health and Human Services to add information online and publish other documents on the differences between types of clinics that serve pregnant women.

Dr. Katherine Farris, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, said at Thursday’s event she’s hopeful that provision will prevent the spread of “medical misinformation” from crisis pregnancy centers. Such facilities are often associated with anti-abortion groups.

“Too many of my patients have come into the clinic confused, angry and frustrated because of the disinformation that they received in a fake clinic,” Farris said.

Asked if he agreed with Farris’s assessment of crisis pregnancy centers, Stein told reporters he can’t speak to every facility in the state but wants patients to understand the differences, particularly in privacy law requirements, between clinics with and without medical professionals.

“I want people in North Carolina to be able to make their own decision with the best information that exists, and folks need to understand what information they’re receiving,” he said.

The executive order further instructs DHHS to ensure access statewide to birth control and other reproductive health care medications.

It also includes provisions previously in place under the Cooper-era executive order instructing cabinet agencies to protect reproductive health care providers and people seeking care in North Carolina; barring cabinet agencies from requiring pregnant employees to travel to states with restrictions on reproductive health care; and directing the Department of Public Safety to help enforce state law protecting access to health care facilities.

Stein said he doesn’t expect Republicans to challenge the executive order, telling reporters the order is “squarely within” his authority as governor to direct state agencies and isn’t “changing the law in any way.”

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