Vermont governor signs 1st-in-nation shield bills that explicitly include medicated abortion

By LISA RATHKE
Associated Press

Vermont’s Republican governor has signed abortion and gender affirming shield bills into law that are the first in the country to explicitly include protecting access to a medication widely used in abortions even if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration withdraws its approval of the pill, mifepristone. The legislation protects providers from discipline for providing legally protected reproductive and gender affirming health care services. Lucy Leriche, of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, says Planned Parenthood believes other states’ shield laws will cover the issue but that Vermont’s law makes it explicit.