Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Bucking His Party, Nevada's Republican Governor Enshrines Abortion Protections
AP: Nevada Republican Governor Approves Abortion Protections In Cross-Party Move
Nevada’s Joe Lombardo on Tuesday became one of the first Republican governors to enshrine protections for out-of-state abortion patients and in-state providers, adding the western swing state to the list of those passing new laws to solidify their status as safe havens for abortion patients. The legislation codifies an existing executive order from former Gov. Steve Sisolak last year — who lost reelection to Lombardo — that bars state agencies from assisting in out-of-state investigations that could lead to the prosecution of abortion patients who travel to Nevada. It also ensures medical boards and commissions that oversee medical licenses do not discipline or disqualify doctors who provide abortions. (Stern, 5/31)
Abortion news from Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Tennessee —
AP: Wisconsin Republicans Introduce Bill That Clarifies Procedures That Don't Qualify As Abortion
Wisconsin Republicans released a package of legislation Tuesday that would tweak the state’s abortion ban by specifying medical procedures to save a mother’s life that don’t qualify as abortion. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is almost certain to veto the measure should it pass the Republican-controlled Legislature. He has already promised to veto a different Republican-backed bill that would allow abortions in the case of rape or incest, saying he supports restoring abortion rights to what they were in Wisconsin before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. (Richmond, 5/30)
AP: ACLU Sues To Block New Hybrid Nebraska Law Restricting Abortion, Gender-Affirming Care For Minors
As promised, the American Civil Liberties Union is suing to block the Nebraska Legislature’s most controversial measure combining an abortion ban with restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, just days after it was signed into law. The lawsuit, filed in state court Tuesday by the ACLU on behalf of Planned Parenthood and one of its doctors who performs abortions in Nebraska, argues that the law violates a state constitutional requirement that legislative bills stick to a single subject. The lawsuit is also asking for an injunction to block enforcement of the trans health and abortion restrictions until the court case is decided. (Beck, 5/30)
ABC News: Tennessee Woman Gets Emergency Hysterectomy After Doctors Deny Early Abortion Care
The Tennessee woman would end up needing a lifesaving emergency hysterectomy, ending her opportunity to give birth to more children, after she says she was denied medically necessary abortion care at a hospital in her home state for life-threatening complications earlier in her pregnancy. (El-Bawab, 5/31)
From Capitol Hill —
NBC News: Congress Threatens To Block Funding For Space Force Headquarters As Abortion Politics Affect Location Decision
Republican and Democratic members of Congress from Alabama submitted a draft House bill late last week that would block funding for the continued growth of U.S. Space Command's temporary headquarters in Colorado, according to documents reviewed by NBC News. Two congressional officials said the bill would prohibit SPACECOM from spending money on constructing, leasing or modernizing facilities until the secretary of the Air Force formally selects and publicly announces the final location, which the Trump administration said would be in Huntsville, Alabama. (Kube, 5/31)
Stat: Elizabeth Warren Probes Abortion Access
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is launching a fresh round of questioning on states’ limits to abortion rights as a battle on medication abortion hangs in the balance at a federal court. (Owermohle, 5/30)
Also —
OPB: Report: Threats Against Abortion Providers Have Spiked, Especially In States Like Oregon, Washington
Threats and acts of violence against abortion providers increased dramatically in 2022, according to data collected each year by the National Abortion Federation, a professional association. States that continue to offer legal abortions, like Oregon and Washington, had the biggest increases in violence directed at providers and disruptions meant to stop abortions from happening, according to the federation. (Hughes, 5/30)
The Guardian: Asian Americans Do Not Have Access To Abortion Information, Survey Finds
Asian Americans do not have adequate access to information about how to obtain an abortion, according to a new report. Cultural stigmas against conversations about sexual and reproductive health and a lack of in-language information on abortion has stifled knowledge of abortion care among Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians, researchers found. (Yang, 5/31)
Roll Call: Dobbs Decision Now A Factor In Med School Residency Picks
When Rose Al Abosy began weighing which obstetrics and gynecology residencies to apply to, she spoke to advisers, considered programs’ academics and evaluated how state laws would affect her ability to train in providing abortions. The Boston University Medical School graduate narrowed down the options to 80 programs in states that had not enacted restrictions on abortion care. (Raman, 5/31)
