With the signing of Executive Order 2022-01 by Pennsylvania Governor Wolf, Pennsylvania joined New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut in action to protect abortion seekers traveling from other states. The states anticipate more out-of-state people seeking an abortion, as roughly half of U.S. states ban or impose restrictions on the services. The EO and its protections are set to take immediate effect. The order bars any agency, board, or commission that answers to the governor’s office from using Pennsylvania resources to help another state’s investigation into a patient seeking reproductive health services, or the providers helping them. This protection does not apply if cooperation is required by court order or if the actions being investigated broke laws in the commonwealth. The governor will also deny any request to arrest or extradite someone who received reproductive health services in Pennsylvania or assisted in these services. Unlike some states that have passed laws to protect abortion access, Pennsylvania only has the EO, which means the gubernatorial election in November will determine whether it remains in place.
