Abortion Pill Legal Battle

Abortion-Ban States Directly Challenge Shield Laws Protecting Pill Providers in Supreme Court

States that ban abortion are challenging shield laws for providers who mail or prescribe abortion pills to other states, marking an escalation in state-versus-state maneuvering over the abortion issue. The Supreme Court filing, along with another case filed in Federal District Court against multiple individuals and organizations working to prescribe or dispense abortion pills, is the first time states with abortion bans are directly challenging states with such laws directly against states with the shield laws. The laws prevent officials from cooperating with states with anti-abortion officials in those states when they pursue subpoenas, extradition requests and other legal actions against providers. The shield laws in New York, Massachusetts and California are among the strongest, with several active abortion providers and organizations based in those areas.

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