State Abortion Shield Laws: Understanding Today’s Patchwork of Reproductive Health Protections

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and states became responsible for abortion protections, a patchwork of laws has been passed across the United States. Some states have strengthened their protections and promoted abortion access, while others have criminalized abortion access or subjected it to civil liability. As a result, patients, providers and organizations supporting abortion access are left to navigate a complex and confusing landscape where the same action that is legal in one state can violate the law in another. 

In light of these conflicts, as of this summer, at least 15 states and the District of Columbia have enacted “shield laws” that protect state residents from interstate legal and professional liability for their participation in seeking, providing or assisting abortions. In a new CLE-eligible webinar, Manatt explains the shield laws and their implications, as well as how they are impacting real-world decisions for providers, patients and other stakeholders.  Key topics the free webinar will cover include:

  • An overview of the shifting reproductive health environment, the changes underway post-Dobbs, and the effects on reproductive health access and quality
  • An in-depth discussion of current shield laws, including the three categories of provisions and the different types of health care services protected
  • A first-time look at the results of Manatt’s comprehensive surveys of reproductive health access and shield laws across states    
  • A review of the emerging issues around privacy and reproductive health data

P.S. Our full reproductive health access and shield law state surveys are available through Manatt on Health, Manatt’s premium information service, providing in-depth insights and analyses on the legal, policy and market developments that matter most to you. For information on how you can subscribe, please contact Barret Jefferds at bjefferds@manatt.com.

Speakers:

Date and Time:

Thursday, September 28
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET

CLE:

This program has been approved for 1.0 NY CLE Skills (transitional and non-transitional) and is pending approval for 1.0 CA MCLE General credit. 


If you would like to receive an audio transcript of this webinar due to accessibility issues, please email us at webinars@manatt.com.

This program does not constitute legal advice, nor does it establish an attorney-client relationship. Views expressed by presenters are strictly their own and should not be construed to be the views of Manatt or attributed to Manatt.

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