Nevada’s Joe Lombardo on Tuesday became one of the first Republican governors to establish protections for out-of-state abortion patients and in-state abortion providers, introducing new laws to cement its status as a safe haven for abortions. Added the Western Battlefield States to the list of states to pass. Abortion patient.
The bill codifies an existing executive order issued last year by former Lombardo governor Steve Sisolak, who failed to run for re-election. Forbids the authorities from cooperating. It also ensures that the medical board or committees that oversee medical licensing do not reprimand or disqualify doctors who perform abortions.
Lombardo, who calls himself a “pro-life” and has the support of the National Right to Survival Commission, has been voicing the will of voters who codified the right to abortions for up to 24 weeks in a 1990 referendum during his election campaign. said to respect He was the only Republican to defeat a state Democratic incumbent in the last election.
Republicans need to get serious about abortion to win in 2024
“I would like to thank Mr. Lombardo for sticking to his promise to ensure that Nevada will not participate in the prosecution of women who come here to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights,” said the Democratic Senate Majority that proposed the bill. General Secretary Nicole Cannizzaro said. statement on Tuesday.
Lombardo is one of the only Republican governors to sign an abortion protection law, joining Vermont Governor Phil Scott and former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo speaks May 30, 2023 in Carson City, Nevada. Lombardo said he would protect out-of-state abortion patients and in-state abortion providers. (AP Photo/Tom R. Smedes)
The provision was a major flashpoint in one of the tightest gubernatorial races in the 2022 midterms, and the latest reflection on how Republicans and candidates navigate abortion policy debates in blue-to-purple states. became. Lombardo initially said he would repeal the decree, but months later he said he supported it, a reversal that Sisolak’s campaign has repeatedly stressed. In February, he signaled his intention to sign a bill that would not add any protections to Sisolak’s decree.
South Carolina, Nebraska Nearly Total Abortion Ban Fails, Fears Republican Holdout
“Governor Lombardo made a campaign promise to ensure that the state of Nevada would not participate in the prosecution of people seeking legal medical care in the state,” spokeswoman Elizabeth Ray said in a statement. “Today, Governor Lombardo has kept that promise.”
Cannizzaro told the Associated Press last month that he was unaware of any specific instances of other states prosecuting women who came to Nevada for abortions, but could do so if other states enact tougher laws. He said things could happen. She referred to restrictions approved in neighboring Idaho and Utah.
Democratic-controlled states from California to Colorado to Rhode Island have approved legislation similar to Nevada.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Nevada Senate pushed the bill last month, with two Republican women joining Democrats in supporting the bill. After the vote, Nevada Republicans said they were “appalled” that they voted for the bill, exposing a split within the party over how abortion legislation should be treated in a post-low-low world. In other cases, it concerns to what extent access to abortion needs to be restricted. Nevada Republicans did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday’s petition.
Earlier this month, the Democratic-majority Nevada legislature introduced a resolution that would enshrine the existing abortion rights in the state constitution, making it much harder to repeal. After passing the 2023 session, it would still need to be passed in 2025 before appearing before voters on the 2026 ballot. This process does not include governor approval.
