The State of Nevada this week added a new page to its website clarifying access to abortion within the state’s borders. The action is intended to help protect and expand abortion access in Nevada following the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June, according to the governor’s office.
“As Governor, I am committed to ensuring Nevadans have access to reproductive health care without fear or shame,” Gov. Steve Sisolak said. “We will not abandon the right to an abortion, and we will protect those in need of care. This website is one more step forward in this work.”
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court a partial or full ban on abortion has been enacted in 13 states denying the procedure to nearly all women with few restrictions. It’s estimated that nearly one-third of U.S. women now lack access to abortion within their state.
Another 10 states have more restrictive bans at the ready, but have been blocked by courts from putting them into effect.
The right to abortion was codified into Nevada law in 1990 when voters approved Question 7, which shielded repeal of NRS Section 442.250 – which permits abortion – without voter approval. Abortion is legal up to 24 weeks, and after 24 weeks if the person’s health is at risk.
No state funds can be used for abortion in Nevada. However, in 2019 the legislature passed and Gov. Sisolak signed a law that provided $6 million in grants for family planning services such as birth control, maternal care and cancer screenings.
The state’s new webpage, hosted by the Department of Health and Human Services, outlines current law in Nevada, describes the different types of abortion with links to medically-based resources, and provides details on how to report misleading information about abortion services, including those from crisis pregnancy centers.
“[Crisis Pregnancy Centers] do not provide comprehensive, accurate, or evidence-based clinical information. Instead, the primary goal of CPCs is to dissuade people seeking abortions from obtaining the procedure,” the page notes.
Sisolak said the new page was developed to support the executive order he issued in June following the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health decision that overturned the right to abortion.
In that order, the governor reaffirmed the state’s commitment to reproductive freedom. Provisions in the order protect health care professionals licensed in the state from being punished for providing reproductive health care; prohibits state agencies from assisting other states seeking abortion information to pursue civil or criminal charges; and refuses extradition requests from other states related to women’s reproductive rights.
The state’s new page on abortion is at https://dpbh.nv.gov/Programs/MIP/AbortionInNevada/.
