Gov. Jay Inslee Signs Five Reproductive Healthcare Bills into Law

Governor Jay Inslee signed five bills geared towards protecting abortion healthcare into law Thursday.

In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in what is known as the Dobbs decision.

Since then, 14 states have passed bills that completely ban abortion, with Georgia banning abortion after six-weeks from the conception date.

Last month, a Trump-appointed judge in Texas ruled to pull the abortion pill mifepristone off the U.S. market.

As a result, Inslee ordered the state Department of Corrections to buy 30,000 doses of mifepristone, which equates to a three-year supply.

That decision has been appealed and a stay was placed on the ruling while the U.S. Supreme Court hears the appeal.

Inslee signed SB 5768 into law, allowing the state Department of Corrections to distribute that medication to healthcare providers.

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A Shield Law prohibiting law enforcement from complying with out-of-state subpoenas looking to legally punish those seeking abortion or gender-affirming healthcare in the state was also accepted.

This bill would also ban extraditions on those seeking these services and protects healthcare providers from harassment.

Inslee also approved bills that would protect consumer health data known as the “My Health, My Data” Act, outlaw disciplinary action on those providing reproductive services, and eliminate out-of-pocket costs for abortion.

Over $15 million came out of the 2023–25 biennium towards reproductive healthcare, which include grants to clinics most affected by the recent increase in out-of-state patients

Inslee will be signing those updated budgets in May.