Whatever you think about abortion, these “sanctuary state” tactics raise troubling questions. Especially when they’re being implemented by the federal government.

States do have the right to enforce their laws. And without Roe v. Wade, this administration is looking to use bureaucratic shenanigans and abuse laws not intended for this purpose to sideline state abortion laws.

The new rule, issued through the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, strengthens existing provisions under the Health Insurance Portability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) privacy rule.

It is aimed at protecting women living in states where abortion is illegal who travel out of state to have the procedure done – something thousands of women are already doing, research shows.

The rule also protects healthcare providers, insurers, or other entities which perform or pay for abortions.
“Each and every American still has a right to their privacy, especially when it comes to their very private, very personal health information,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said at a news conference announcing the rule.

It specifically bans the use of protected health information related to reproductive care when sought to identify, investigate or punish individuals, providers, or others seeking to obtain, provide, or otherwise facilitate reproductive healthcare such as abortions.

Media Newspeak aside, this isn’t strengthening anything. It’s abusing HIPAA to suppress cooperation with state laws and law enforcement.

This is the very definition of lawlessness.