CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein signed another executive order Thursday, issuing additional protections for abortion access.
The order mostly has to do with privacy for women who are seeking or who have already had an abortion in North Carolina. Stein argued there are too many out-of-state actors seeking to go after women getting a procedure that remains legal for most up to 12 weeks.
“I’m not changing the law in any way,” said Stein. “I am just clarifying and reassuring the women of North Carolina that they will continue to have whatever rights they have under the law. They will be protected fiercely by this administration.”
Stein’s executive order is both preventative and reactive. First, it directs state agencies to find ways to protect both women and physicians from being charged or sued for getting or providing an abortion. It tells those agencies to review policies about medical records to ensure medical history remains private.
The governor also said he has concerns with pregnancy crisis centers, arguing that there have been instances of those organizations providing women with false information, preventing them getting an abortion before the 12-week cutoff. Stein will direct state agencies to provide information that explains the differences between health care providers and those crisis centers.
When asked if he is preparing for more abortion restrictions to be passed by Republicans in Raleigh, Stein said it is clear there are lawmakers that support such a move.
“So I am concerned about that,” he said. “That was an issue that was actually litigated in the last campaign. And I told the women of North Carolina that if you elect me, I will do everything in my power to protect your ability to make your own decisions.”
North Carolina’s GOP dismissed Stein’s order in a statement to Queen City News.
“Gov. Stein is talking a lot about solving problems, but his actions show he is just another politician by pandering to his radical left-wing base and against the will of North Carolina voters.”
A spokesperson added that the GOP’s legal team is reviewing the order to see how it compares to a similar directive issued by former governor Roy Cooper.
This latest executive order marked Stein’s eighth since he took office at the start of January.
