McKee's Executive Order Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care Applauded
GoLocalProv News Team
McKee's Executive Order Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care Applauded
“Women should be trusted with their own health care decisions, and here in Rhode Island, we firmly support a right to choose,” said McKee. “The executive order I signed today ensures that Rhode Island will continue to stand up for reproductive health care, especially in response to the shameful U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.”
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About Orders
In addition to protecting patients, the Governor's order protects providers in Rhode Island who perform reproductive health care services for individuals from another state, ensuring they do not lose their professional licenses or become subject to discipline on out-of-state charges.
The order also prohibits any Rhode Island Executive Department agencies from assisting another state’s investigation into a person or entity for receiving or delivering reproductive health services.
It also states that Rhode Island will not cooperate with extradition requests from other states pursuing criminal charges against individuals who received or performed reproductive health services that are legal in Rhode Island.
Group Applauds Move
The Womxn Project issued the following statement:
“We are grateful to Governor Daniel McKee for signing an executive order today providing specific protections for people who provide, seek and support people in getting abortion care. It is critical that we do all we can to ensure that whether someone needs to come to our state to get an abortion or our neighbor needs services, that we do all we can to get rid of barriers.
We laud this important step and are so grateful to the many activists who spoke out, organized, rallied and helped to make this happen. This order helps to send a clear message that Rhode Island will be a safe haven for anyone seeking abortion care. We should not be allowing archaic, horrific laws from other states to cause harm to our people or to people who seek compassion and care in Rhode Island.
We are pleased to see this action today. It is a wonderful win for people who believe - including the majority of Rhode Island voters and voters across the nation - that that we should each get to make our own decisions when it comes to abortion and control our bodies and futures. The fact remains that we are still imposing a huge financial barrier by denying benefits for abortion for people who use Medicaid and state employees. This is wrong and it needs to stop!
We will continue to speak out and show up to push to get rid of the obstacles whether it is based on the insurance someone uses or how old they are. But for today we are celebrating. These orders matter! We will not abandon people in other states or the people who support folks in finding care they need! We will care for us. ALWAYS!”