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NC Gov. Josh Stein signs order to protect reproductive rights, abortions

January 17, 2025
North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein signed an executive order aimed at protecting reproductive health care in the state, ensuring access to abortion services for residents and people from surrounding states. The order, signed Thursday, Jan. 16, prevents state agencies from participating in legal actions against healthcare providers who offer abortions or other reproductive health services.

In addition, the executive order protects the privacy of medical records, including those of women seeking care and doctors providing it.

“Whether they are storing them safely and whether we even need to retain them in the first place,” Stein said, addressing the importance of safeguarding personal health information under the order.

The executive order is part of Stein’s broader commitment to reproductive freedom in North Carolina. The state remains one of the few states in the region not restricting abortion access to six weeks of pregnancy.

Current state law allows abortions up to 12 weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies.

Stein has tasked the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services with providing education to women about their reproductive rights. That also includes access to safe, legal health care and birth control.

“Take appropriate and feasible measures to ensure that women here in North Carolina have reliable access to safe, legal reproductive health care medications and birth control,” Stein told the department.

In response to concerns over reproductive rights, Stein joins a growing number of Democratic governors who are safeguarding abortion access in their states. Governors in New Jersey and Oregon have already begun stockpiling abortion pills, citing concerns over potential changes under a new presidential administration.

Stein’s action also comes ahead of a second term for President-elect Donald Trump. Trump has previously stated that abortion policy should be left to the states, rather than imposing a national ban.

The executive order reflects North Carolina’s continued role as an access point for reproductive health care, both for its residents and those from states with more restrictive laws.
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Minneapolis amends ordinance regarding anti-abortion sidewalk counselors

December 23, 2024
The city of Minneapolis has amended an ordinance that previously prohibited anti-abortion sidewalk counselors from approaching individuals seeking an abortion at clinics. In 2022, the city enacted the Security of Reproductive Healthcare Facilities Ordinance, which banned obstructing access to or occupying driveways of reproductive healthcare facilities.

In 2023, Pro-Life Action Ministries, an anti-abortion advocacy group, sued the city over the ordinance, claiming it violated freedom of speech rights.

Brian Gibson, the group’s chief executive officer, told the Associated Press that Pro-Life Action Ministries sends sidewalk counselors to stand outside abortion clinics and talk to patients entering the parking lot. He said the counselors never block entrances but attempt to get people to roll down their windows and accept literature or have a conversation.

The group claims on its website that its counselors have prevented more than 3,600 abortions.

Minneapolis amended the ordinance to state, “any person or group engaging in conduct protected by the United States Constitution, the Minnesota Constitution, or federal or Minnesota law,” which allows Pro-Life Action Ministries to continue its sidewalk counseling efforts outside abortion clinics.

In short, the group can now approach people seeking abortions as long as they do not block the driveway or clinic entrance.

The Minneapolis City Council also agreed to pay Pro-Life Action Ministries’ legal fees.

“They were accepting fault for having violated our constitutional rights,” Gibson told the Associated Press.
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US court rules most of Idaho’s ‘abortion trafficking’ law can take effect

December 3, 2024
A federal appeals court ruled Idaho can proceed with a new law that makes it illegal to help minors seek an abortion without parental consent. The new ruling reverses a lower court decision that prevented the law from taking effect after a 2023 lawsuit.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Monday, Dec. 2, that the statute prohibits the act of transporting and harboring a pregnant minor without the parents’ knowledge. The court said it’s likely to be found constitutional.

The new law, the Defense of Life Act, carries a sentence of up to five years in prison if convicted. The minor’s parents would also be able to sue anyone assisting the minor in receiving an abortion.

After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, Idaho passed a law banning almost all abortion cases with exception to rape and incest.

In 2023, the state furthered its agenda by passing what lawmakers called an “abortion trafficking” law. It prohibits minors from traveling to other states, such as Oregon, Montana and Washington, where the procedure remains legal.

While supporters called the ruling a win, opponents claimed victory as part of the law remains blocked. The court’s decision found the law’s ban on recruiting pregnant minors goes against the First Amendment of free speech.

“Encouragement, counseling and emotional support” are protected speech regardless if used in context of having an abortion, the court said.

With the ruling, prosecutors are unable to bring charges against anyone who influences a minor to seek an abortion.

“We will not stop protecting life in Idaho,” Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador said.

A plaintiff lawyer said the ruling frees Idahoans to talk with pregnant minors about abortion health care.
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Newsom to propose $25M in special session to ‘Trump-proof’ California

December 2, 2024
California lawmakers are meeting Monday, Dec. 2 for a special session with Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom set to propose a so-called “Trump-proof” legal defense fund. Newsom is trying to protect his state’s progressive policies. He called for the special session just days after President-elect Donald Trump won a second term.

The proposed $25 million plan is an effort to defend California’s investments, including federal disaster grants and clean air protections, as well as protecting climate change laws, abortion rights and immigration policies.

Trump responded to Newsom’s announcement in November on Truth Social.

“He is using the term “Trump-proof” as a way of stopping all of the GREAT things that can be done to “Make California Great Again,” but I just overwhelmingly won the Election. People are being forced to leave due to his, & other’s, INSANE POLICY DECISIONS,” Trump wrote.

Newsom and Trump have a history of going back and forth on issues and trading insults. Trump gave Newsom the nickname “Newscum,” with Newsom calling Trump “deranged” and “unhinged.”

According to the Governor’s office, Newsom’s $25 million request for the California Department of Justice will go toward increasing staff and supporting ongoing legal challenges.

The state sued Trump’s administration during his first term more than 120 times, winning cases that protected California’s stricter vehicle-emission standards and protected the legal status of migrants brought to the U.S. as children.

“We will work with the incoming administration and we want President Trump to succeed serving all Americans,” Newsom said in a statement Monday, Dec. 2. “But when there is overreach, when lives are threatened, when rights and freedoms are targeted. We will take action.”

Republican lawmakers, including California Rep. Vince Fong, criticized Newsom over the special session.

“Gavin Newsom’s actions are tone-deaf to the concerns of Californians who disapprove of the direction of our state and country,” Fong said in a video on social media.

Newsom said he wants the funding in place before Trump’s inauguration.
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CDC says abortions decreased in 2022, but research reveals the opposite

November 29, 2024
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its first major report on abortion since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Researchers found the number of abortions dropped 2% in 2022, making it not much different from the years before. Preliminary data shows abortions actually went up in 2023.

The CDC found U.S. providers performed more than 613,000 abortions in 2022, only slightly down from the nearly 626,000 abortions performed in 2021. But in 2023, more than a million abortions were recorded in the U.S., according to a new report from the Guttmacher Institute. It’s the highest number the research and policy organization has recorded in a decade.

There are some caveats to this data. The CDC’s report offers an incomplete look at abortion in the United States because not every state reports abortion data to the CDC. The Guttmacher Institute does include all 50 states in its report.

Overall, though, reports show the vast majority of abortions took place before nine weeks of pregnancy.

Research also shows that expanded access to the abortion pill has played a big role in these numbers. A pandemic-era change made by the Food and Drug Administration allowed for the pills to be dispensed via telemedicine. In the wake of the ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, eight states passed laws protecting providers from being sued for prescribing abortion pills virtually to people from other states.

Despite the overall national picture, however, both the CDC and the Guttmacher Institute found abortion rates dramatically declined in states that enacted near-total bans after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Meanwhile, states that have become known as “abortion havens” have seen numbers rise significantly.
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US requests for abortion pill access surge at Canadian nonprofit

November 27, 2024
A Canadian nonprofit that helps women get the abortion pill in countries with restrictions said it has seen a major surge in requests from the United States following the presidential election. Women on Web said it had 35 requests per day coming from the United States before the election. In the days after, it received four times the amount, totaling 145 per day.

The group’s executive director said most of the inquiries came from women who were not pregnant, but wanted the drug in case abortions are harder to access in the U.S. after President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

While Women on Web does not provide direct access to the pill, it connects women to doctors and pharmacies that can prescribe and give the drug.

Providing abortion pills before someone is pregnant is a practice called advance provision, which reduces delays in getting the medication in places where women face barriers.

Obstetrics and gynecology doctor Daniel Grossman told The Canadian Press it’s a very common FDA-approved practice but emphasized patients need to get follow-up medical care within 14 days of taking the pill.

After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, doctors in shield states stepped in to help people in places where abortion became banned or restricted.

Shield laws can legally protect providers who mail pills to states where they are banned. However, according to legal analysts, the cases can still be challenged in court.

Anti-abortion group Students for Life Action recently urged Trump to outlaw telehealth for abortion pills when he takes office, and endorsed Project 2025, a far-right think-tank policy paper that proposes reversing the FDA’s approval of the abortion pill and criminalizing mailing the drug.

Trump has said he plans to veto a federal abortion ban, adding the issue should be left to the states.
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Wyoming state abortion ban struck down as unconstitutional

November 19, 2024

A judge in Wyoming has ruled that two laws making up the state’s abortion ban violate the state’s constitution. The ruling makes abortion legal in the state for the time being.

Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens sided with the women and nonprofits who filed a lawsuit against the state over the ban, finding the state failed to define key terms in the law, including what makes a fetus viable.

Owens grounded her ruling in concerns over women’s rights, writing in part that the state “has enacted laws that impede the fundamental right to make health care decisions for an entire class of people, pregnant women.”

This is the third time Owens has ruled to block a version of the state’s abortion ban. The ruling could be appealed to the Wyoming Supreme Court.

Republican Gov. Mark Gordon’s office did not immediately respond to the ruling but has supported appeals challenging the previous rulings.

With the decision, abortion is currently legal in Wyoming up until the point of fetal viability, which medical professionals generally consider to be about 24 weeks into pregnancy.

Wyoming is the latest state where supporters of abortion rights access have had success. Voters in seven states — Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and New York — approved ballot measures earlier this month that expanded abortion rights.

Two states, Florida and South Dakota, defeated abortion rights measures. Nebraska, meanwhile, saw voters split on two measures related to abortion rights.

State-level courts have issued rulings recently related to abortion restrictions and bans. Judges in North Dakota and Georgia struck down their respective state bans in September, although the Georgia Supreme Court allowed the Peach State’s ban to remain in effect while the case is heard.

In the U.S., 13 states currently have total abortion bans in effect that resemble the laws blocked in Wyoming. A further 21 states have enshrined abortion rights as state law.
‘Your body, my choice’: Harassment of women spikes in wake of election

November 13, 2024
In the week since President-elect Donald Trump was reelected, sexist and abusive attacks on women have ramped up on social media. That’s according to a new analysis from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), an international advocacy group that describes itself as “dedicated to powering solutions to extremism, hate and disinformation.”

Phrases like “your body, my choice,” “get back to the kitchen,” and “we own your body” have been trending on platforms like X and TikTok.

The group says the uptick in online harassment signals far-right internet trolls and extremists feel emboldened by the outcome of the election, which also heavily featured women’s rights issues.

Nick Fuentes is under attack for saying “Your body my choice” pic.twitter.com/f1xhvr0L4m
— AdviceFromLouis (@AdviceFromLouis) November 10, 2024

In its report, the ISD said harassment is already moving offline, with young girls and parents sharing real-world experiences involving the phrase “your body, my choice” on social media, including “the phrase being directed at them within schools or chanted by young boys in classes.”

The analysis also found posts about repealing the 19th Amendment. The amendment guaranteed women the right to vote, rose 663% on X last week, compared to the week before.
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Some swear off sex as ‘4B Movement’ surges post-election

November 8, 2024
Following Donald Trump’s election victory, a South Korean feminist movement called the “4B Movement” is resonating with American women on TikTok. The movement’s principles, which include rejecting dating, marriage, sex and childbirth with men, have sparked conversations about gender dynamics in the U.S. amid concerns about women’s rights.

Inspired by years of activism in South Korea, the “4B Movement” — shorthand for the “Four Nos” — advocates for complete independence from men as a protest against societal expectations.

Since Trump’s 2024 victory, many women in the U.S. have adopted these ideals. Many cite a sense of solidarity and frustration with what they see as setbacks to women’s rights under his leadership.

On TikTok, hashtags like #4BMovement and #4BNos have gathered millions of views. Many women are sharing their personal stories and decisions to “opt-out” of relationships with men.

Influential users whose videos on the topic have gone viral, say the movement provides a sense of control in an environment where they feel their rights are increasingly under threat.

Getty Images

The “4B Movement” emerged in South Korea as a reaction to social issues such as the country’s gender wage gap, high rates of workplace harassment and limited protections for women. In recent years, it has influenced everything from birth rates to marriage trends. Advocates say opting out of traditional roles is a form of resistance to gender inequality.

Critics of the movement argue that it could deepen social divisions. They’ve called it an “extreme response” that risks fueling a so-called “gender war.”

Yet for supporters, the decision to join 4B isn’t simply a TikTok trend, it’s a call for meaningful change and a rejection of societal pressures.

While it’s unclear if the 4B Movement will have lasting effects in the U.S., it’s clear the ideas it represents are resonating with many women post-election. As more women turn to social media to share their views, the movement’s popularity shows no signs of slowing down.
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Jacky Rosen wins Nevada Senate race, maintains Democrat’s seat

November 7, 2024
Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., won reelection, fending off a challenge from Republican Sam Brown. Democrats lost the majority in the chamber, but this victory in Nevada will keep the balance of power tighter.

The call was made by Decision Desk HQ, a forecasting and analysis organization.

Abortion was a key issue in the state. Voters also approved a ballot measure that created a constitutional right to an abortion up to fetal viability or after if necessary to protect the health of the mother.

Brown had been quiet about how he would vote on the measure until September when he said he opposed changing the state’s existing law. Nevada allows abortions up to 24 weeks or after to save the life of the mother.

The ballot measure is nearly identical to existing law, but it prevents the legislature from making stricter rules in the future.

Brown said he opposed a nationwide abortion ban.

Rosen’s campaign ran an ad that called Brown a “MAGA extremist” who wanted to take away abortion rights.

Brown meanwhile hit back on the economy and immigration. He said Democrats like President Joe Biden and Rosen are responsible for a border and national security crisis that has led to violence and deadly drugs being brought in by cartels.

He also blamed clean energy investments for an increase in the cost of living.

They agreed on two things: unconditional support for Israel and ending taxes on tips.

Brown is a West Point graduate and medically retired from the Army as a captain. While on a rescue mission in Afghanistan, a roadside bomb exploded under the fuel tank of his vehicle which covered him in burning diesel. He survived with third-degree burns. .

Rosen was elected to the Senate in 2018 after serving one term in the House. Georgetown’s School of Public Policy has ranked her one of the top 10 most bipartisan senators in the chamber.

Spending in the race significantly favored Rosen. About $98 million was spent supporting her or opposing Brown, while $63 million was spent supporting Brown or opposing Rosen.
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