Gov. Inslee prohibits state patrol from aiding abortion investigations
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Gov. Jay Inslee has issued a directive instructing the Washington State Patrol to not cooperate with out-of-state abortion investigations, a preemptive move in case states where abortion is banned or significantly restricted seek to investigate whether their residents have traveled to the state.
The order, which was finalized Thursday, was first announced by Inslee at a news conference outside the Capitol last weekend, one day after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
"Washington is and will remain a sanctuary for any person seeking abortion care and services in our state, but we must act to protect our rights and our values," Inslee wrote in his directive. "To that end, it is critical that our law enforcement agencies not cooperate in any manner with any out-of-state investigation, prosecution, or other legal action based on another state's law that is inconsistent with Washington's protections of the right to choose abortion and provide abortion-related care."
Under the directive, the state patrol must not cooperate with most subpoenas, search warrants or court orders from states with laws that ban or significantly restrict abortion access. Any request received by the patrol must be reviewed and processed in conjunction with the attorney general's office and the governor's attorney.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/washington-gov-inslee-prohibits-state-patrol-from-aiding-abortion-investigations/ar-AAZ326P
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