Washington Law Would Shield Women Traveling from Out of State for Abortions

Washington State lawmakers passed a law on Tuesday which would shield women who travel from out of state for abortions, Fox News reported.

The bill, which is called House Bill 1469 and is part of a package of bills introduced after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, would outlaw “the issuance of out-of-state subpoenas seeking information related to abortion and reproductive health services, along with out-of-state criminal investigations and arrests seeking communication and evidence related to abortions and reproductive health care services,” according to the report.

The state House voted 59-38 to pass the bill; Washington Gov. Jay Inslee still needs to sign the bill, but he praised the pro-abortion state legislators for their efforts in a tweet on Tuesday.

Two important bills to protect access to abortion care are on a steady track to my desk. Thanks to our pro-choice legislators, WA is and will remain a pro-choice state.

Congrats @RepDrewHansen for passing the Shield Law in the House.https://t.co/3b7yZrg3pe #waleg

— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) February 28, 2023

“Two important bills to protect access to abortion care are on a steady track to my desk,” Inslee said. “Thanks to our pro-choice legislators, WA is and will remain a pro-choice state.”

Democrat State Rep. Drew Hansen, who introduced the bill, said that “if other states want to be creative and aggressive in restriction abortion, we will be creative and aggressive in fighting back.”