Gov. Inslee maintains Washington's abortion protections despite looming Supreme Court ruling

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Leading up to another Supreme Court ruling that could critically change reproductive rights in the U.S., Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has set the record straight on the state’s rules on abortion care.

In a press conference held on Tuesday morning, the state leader asserted that emergency abortion services will remain legal in Washington state despite the looming decision in Idaho and Moyle, et al. v. United States — and the overturn of Roe V. Wade in June 2022.

“That was a wrong decision, but we have to deal with it,” Inslee said. “Their folly has led to the biggest clawback of civil rights in American history. Anti-abortion states have weaponized this decision in an effort to deprive women of rights, including in the state of Washington.”

In late April, the Supreme Court began hearing arguments in a case that spurred from Idaho’s abortion restrictions. The state prohibits abortions, with an exception for emergency situations in which the pregnancy has become life-threatening — which has caused a grey area for some medical professionals.

“How close to death must somebody be before a doctor is able to step in and provide care?” Sarah Prager, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Washington’s School of Medicine, said during Inslee’s press conference.

According to documents obtained by the Associated Press, there have been several cases of pregnant individuals being turned away from emergency rooms since the overturn of Roe V. Wade in May 2022.

AP News reported that women in states with certain abortion restrictions have suffered from miscarriages or the death of their newborns as a result of hospital staff that don’t want to be penalized for treating them.

Simultaneously, the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act requires hospitals that receive Medicare to provide stabilizing treatment to patients regardless of whether they can pay.

The Biden administration has argued that Idaho’s abortion ban violates federal act, while Idaho officials have argued the law was made for uninsured patients and doesn’t necessarily permit emergency abortions.

Since the Dobbs decision, Inslee said Washington has seen a 50% increase in out-of-state residents who visit in search of abortion care. The Supreme Court has yet to issue a decision on its first reproductive rights case in about two years, but Inslee asserted the state’s protections will remain the same.

“Unless we have clarity, you can end up with some litigant starting a lawsuit that affects Washington women that ends up in U.S. Supreme court and you just cannot trust the Donald Trump court to protect and appropriately interpret Washington state law,” he said.