Red states are challenging them in the courts, while simultaneously pressing Congress to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A total of 15 GOP attorneys general signed and sent a letter to congressional leadership this week requesting federal action <\/strong>be taken to preempt abortion shield laws, arguing they interfere with states\u2019 ability to enforce criminal laws. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The group of attorneys general also argues that Congress should get involved with shield laws because they potentially conflict with two Constitutional clauses<\/strong>: the \u201cfull faith and credit\u201d clause and its extradition clause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Abortion shield laws are state laws meant to protect abortion providers and patients from civil and criminal actions. There are currently 18 states,<\/strong> along with the District of Columbia, that have an abortion shield law, according to Rachel Rebouche, dean of Temple University Beasley School of Law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shield laws in eight of those states protect abortion providers regardless of patient location\u2014acting as a safeguard for abortion providers who send medication via telehealth<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The letter is the latest effort from Republican-led states to stop abortion pills from being shipped to parts of the country where the procedure is restricted<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Signees include Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton\u2002<\/u><\/a>(R) and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill (R), both of whom have taken legal action against a New York doctor<\/strong> for allegedly prescribing and mailing abortion pills to women in their respective states. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Paxton sued the doctor\u2014Margaret Carpenter\u2014late last year for allegedly sending abortion pills to a patient in Texas, and a judge ordered her to pay more than $100,000 <\/strong>in penalties for violating the law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A grand jury in Louisiana indicted Carpenter for allegedly doing the same thing, leading to state authorities requesting she be extradited<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n