LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nevada is now solidified as a safe-haven for abortion patients.
Wednesday, Governor Joe Lombardo signed Senate Bill 131 into law, which protects out-of-state patients seeking an abortion and providers who perform them.
In a rare move, he’s one of three republican governors in the country to sign an abortion protections bill.
Governor Lombardo describes himself as Catholic and pro-life, but has said the issue of abortion should only be decided by Nevada voters themselves.
Dr. Sondra Cosgrove, a professor for College of Southern Nevada and executive director of Vote Nevada, says the move is as unique as Nevada politics, calling it ‘libertarian' rather than blue or red.
“If you live in Clark County, we're pretty libertarian down here when it comes to people doing what they want and just being safe. So it really fits within that Clark County paradigm of letting people have personal freedom and having the state not give them their way,” Cosgrove said.
When Roe V. Wade was overturned in June of last year, it sent thousands of patients to Nevada for abortions. Planned Parenthood said half of their patients were from out-of-state and wait times were getting longer.
Dr. Cosgrove points to the history, when Nevada had more lax divorce laws than the rest of the country, it became a divorce destination. She predicts this enhancement could send more patients our way.
The Nevada Democratic Party sent the following statement after Gov. Lombardo signed the legislation.
"Thanks to Governor Sisolak's quick action and Majority Leader Cannizzaro's leadership, SB131 will continue to protect our health care providers and patients who come to Nevada seeking reproductive care. After doing a poor job of hiding his anti-abortion stances on the campaign trail, including his support for overturning this executive order, Joe Lombardo ultimately changed course and bent to political reality because this measure is overwhelmingly supported by Nevadans."
We reached out to Nevada GOP for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
