On Tuesday, Governor Jay Inslee issued a directive that mandates the Washington State Department of Health to confirm the legal obligation of hospitals in the state to offer emergency abortion services.
Governor emphasizes the need for clarification since the state law on medical care does not explicitly refer to “abortion care.”
During a press conference on Tuesday morning, Governor Inslee emphasized the importance of taking action in anticipation of the upcoming rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court.
According to Inslee, the federal emergency healthcare directives may not safeguard a woman’s right to emergency abortion services, as the court may rule any day. However, he emphasized that the state of Washington has taken steps to clarify that women in the state will be protected under Washington law.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee has issued a directive regarding abortion rights, which is significant considering the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade by the United States Supreme Court. The court is currently reviewing other cases related to abortion rights, including Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States, which will likely have a significant impact on the future of abortion rights in the country.
The Moyle case centers around the inquiry of whether a particular abortion law in Idaho is in opposition with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act at the federal level.
According to The Center Square, Governor Inslee and the Democratic party have been highlighting Washington as a secure location for abortion services since the Dobbs decision in 2022 shifted the responsibility of abortion laws to individual states.
Inslee highlighted that there has been a 50% increase in women seeking services from outside of Washington state.
According to his statement, the state of Washington has taken significant steps to enhance the affordability and accessibility of abortion services. As he pointed out, in case the court continues to restrict this right, they have already stocked up on mifepristone to ensure that they can provide pharmaceutical services as needed.
Governor Inslee took the initiative of stocking up on the pregnancy-ending drug mifepristone before the lower federal court ruling in Texas, which is currently being reviewed by the Supreme Court.
Dr. Sarah Prager, a distinguished professor of medicine at the University of Washington specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, was also present at the press conference.
According to Prager, she has assisted numerous patients who were experiencing pregnancy complications and had traveled to Washington from out of state following the Dobbs decision.
According to her, in all of these instances, their doctors were uncertain or incapable of providing treatment to terminate these non-viable pregnancies. She emphasized that abortion is always a safer option than continuing a pregnancy, especially in cases where there is an urgent concern about the health or life of the pregnant person.
According to Inslee, the Republicans in Washington are aiming to strip away a woman’s right to have an abortion.
“Their gubernatorial candidates have made it quite clear where they stand personally on this issue,” stated the governor.
Both Republican candidates running for governor shared their thoughts on Inslee’s remarks.
In response to the accusations made by Bob Ferguson and Jay Inslee, Semi Bird’s campaign issued a statement via email. They stated that they have been hearing these false claims that women’s reproductive rights would be stripped away if a Republican was to become the governor of Washington state. However, the campaign clarified that no governor has the power or authority to revoke someone’s constitutional or legal rights.
Last week, Dave Reichert’s campaign released an advertisement promising not to alter abortion laws should he be elected as Washington’s next governor.
In an email sent to The Center Square, the candidate asserted their stance on abortion laws, stating, “I will not alter the current abortion laws in the state during my tenure as governor,” as previously declared in their released ad last week.
According to Inslee, certain hospitals in Washington are refusing to offer abortion services by citing their religious beliefs as a reason.
Inslee emphasized the need for emergency services to be readily available in support of a woman’s right to choose.
According to a news release by the Washington Hospital Association, there is no indication that hospitals in Washington are not providing adequate emergency care.