South Raleigh News

Governor Josh Stein has announced an executive order aimed at protecting women's reproductive rights and privacy in North Carolina. Speaking in Charlotte, Stein emphasized his commitment to safeguarding these freedoms amidst recent challenges.

"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," said Governor Josh Stein. "I am directing my cabinet agencies to take specific action to protect women and health care providers from extreme anti-reproductive freedom laws."

The executive order includes several key directives:

- Cabinet agencies are instructed to explore ways to shield medical professionals providing lawful reproductive health care services, as well as patients receiving such services.

- Agencies are directed not to assist with any efforts that might lead to penalties, investigations, or prosecutions of medical professionals or patients involved in lawful reproductive health care.

- There is a mandate for agencies to review and potentially revise policies concerning the collection of records related to women's reproductive health care, ensuring medical privacy.

- The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is tasked with clarifying differences between healthcare providers and other entities offering services to pregnant women. This includes detailing available services and relevant patient privacy laws in their materials.

- DHHS is also directed to ensure that North Carolinians have consistent access to safe and legal reproductive health care medications and birth control.

The executive order represents a proactive approach by Governor Stein's administration amid ongoing debates surrounding reproductive rights.