North Carolina Governor Issues Executive Order to Protect Abortion Access

Then-Attorney General Josh Stein applauds supporters during an election night watch party in Raleigh, N.C., on Nov. 5, 2024. Grant Halverson/AP Photo

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein issued an executive order on Thursday aimed at protecting access to services and data related to abortion services in the state.

In a statement, the newly elected governor said he had instructed cabinet agencies to protect women and health care providers from what he called “extreme anti-reproductive freedom laws” across the state.

“Our state has seen alarming attacks on women’s reproductive rights over the past few years, and I remain committed to doing everything in my power to protect women’s freedoms and their privacy,” Stein said.

The order directs cabinet agencies not to provide assistance, information, or resources for investigations or proceedings seeking to impose civil or criminal liability on health care providers or individuals involved in lawful abortion-related services within the state. This includes withholding patient records, billing information, or other data unless mandated by a court order.

The governor will exercise discretionary authority over extradition requests for individuals charged in other states in connection with abortion services that are lawful in North Carolina, according to the order.

The order directs the State Highway Patrol, Alcohol Law Enforcement, and State Capitol Police not to arrest any person charged with a criminal violation related to such services in another state.

It also directs the governor’s cabinet agencies to review and revise their policies for collecting and storing records related to abortion services to “maximize protections” for privacy.

Under the order, the state Department of Health and Human Services will be responsible for taking “feasible measures,” in consultation with the governor’s office, to ensure that North Carolinians have consistent access to “legal reproductive health care medications and birth control.”

The order states that pregnant cabinet agency employees will not be required to travel to another state that has imposed restrictions on access to abortion services.

“Women, not politicians, should make their own health care decisions,” Stein said as he announced the order on social media platform X. “As Governor, I will keep standing up for the women of North Carolina.”

Abortion is banned in North Carolina after 12 weeks of pregnancy except in cases of medical emergency, rape, incest, or “life-limiting anomaly” in an unborn child.

The executive order was issued just days before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Other states, including New Jersey and Massachusetts, have also taken steps to counter possible pro-life measures under the incoming administration.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said on Jan. 14 that the state would begin stockpiling a supply of abortion drug Mifepristone to ensure women’s continued access to the drug.

“I will never back away from partnering with the Trump Administration where our priorities align,” Murphy said. “But just as importantly, I will never back down from defending our New Jersey values — if and when they are tested.”

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Board of Registration approved emergency amendments on Jan. 8 that would protect nurses who provide abortion-related services in the state from disqualification and disciplinary actions.

The state health department said the emergency approval will allow the amendments to take effect for three months while the regulatory process continues, including a public comment period and a hearing, after which the finalization of the amendments will take place.

“When Roe was overturned, we worked with the Legislature to take immediate action to protect providers and patients from liability for providing or receiving an abortion,” Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said in a Jan. 8 statement. “Today, with attacks on reproductive health care and providers escalating across the country, we’re proud to take action to further strengthen those protections.”

In October 2024, Trump stated on X that he would veto a federal abortion ban if reelected, saying he believes that states should be able to decide on abortion restrictions “based on the will of their voters.”