Kentucky and Indiana AGs Want to Access Private Medical Abortion Records: What Will They Do Next?
For Immediate Release: July 20, 2023 (Updated: July 20, 2023, noon)
Louisville, KY – In a letter made public over the weekend, 19 Attorneys General, including Daniel Cameron of Kentucky and Todd Rokita of Indiana, signed the document saying that government officials should have access to people’s private medical records to evaluate whether someone has obtained an abortion out of state. This is a disgusting overreach of government authority designed to scare and intimidate patients away from accessing legal health care.
It is incredibly troubling that extremist leaders like Daniel Cameron and Todd Rokita are willing to infringe on patient privacy in order to push their anti-abortion agenda. No one should have to fear that their private medical information will be shared with the state in any circumstance.
Regardless of this letter’s legal standing, the damage is done: patients and providers will see this and be confused on how they can continue to seek care. let’s be perfectly clear: It is legal for anyone in the United States, no matter what state they are from, to access abortion care in a state where that care is legal. Patients deserve privacy, and no one should have their medical history used against them in a lawsuit or legal enforcement. Anyone seeking abortion deserves support from their network and their community.
Tamarra Wieder, Kentucky State Director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates:
“This letter is the epitome of hypocrisy and the need for control. Why would Cameron, Rokita or any Attorney General be seeking private medical information related to abortion patients if not to prosecute them for obtaining care?” said Tamarra Wieder, Kentucky State Director for PPAA. “Anti-abortion lawmakers like Cameron and Rokita seem willing to go to any extent to scare patients out of obtaining abortions. How far are they willing to go? The South Carolina GOP asked for the death penalty, is this what Cameron also wants for the Commonwealth? The bottom line is that these AGs will stop at nothing, even the unthinkable, in order to terrorize patients from accessing abortion care.
“Attacks on abortion care are attacks on all health care. We must protect doctors, clinicians and access every way possible. We must stop this madness.”
This letter builds on coordinated attacks by these same extreme lawmakers against physicians and providers. Anti-abortion lawmakers like Cameron and Rokita are working to confuse and scare patients. Let’s be clear, these extremist stances are not what the majority of people want, and these elected leaders refuse to listen.
