DIRECTIVE OF THE GOVERNOR
22-12
June 30, 2022
To: The Washington State Patrol
From: Governor Jay Inslee
Subject: Prohibiting cooperation or assistance with out-of-state abortion and other
reproductive health care investigations, prosecutions or other legal actions
On June 24, 2022, established constitutional principles of liberty and equality were
extinguished in America when the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and
Planned Parenthood v. Casey, thereby eviscerating the fundamental federal constitutional
right to end a pregnancy—a choice that is deeply personal and private, and that was, until June
24, a matter to be decided by the individual in consultation with that person’s healthcare
provider.
As a result of this flagrant disregard of established constitutional rights and sound legal
precedents, over half of the states in this country already have or will soon ban or severely
restrict access to abortion care and services. This means that where a person lives in this
country will determine how “equal” and “free” that person is. We are already seeing anti-
choice leaders’ efforts to attack sanctuary states, like ours, to reach beyond their borders to
criminalize and punish those who lawfully provide or seek abortion services that are protected
under Washington law.
Harassment, legal action, fear tactics—those are just a few of the anticipated attacks on lawful
reproductive health care providers, clinics and patients in Washington. The impacts on
Washingtonians and out-of-state patients seeking services in Washington are likely to be
significant and relentless.
Washington is and will remain a sanctuary for any person seeking abortion care and services
in our state, but we must act to protect our rights and our values. To that end, it is critical that
our law enforcement agencies not cooperate in any manner with any out-of-state
investigation, prosecution, or other legal action based on another state’s law that is
inconsistent with Washington’s protections of the right to choose abortion and provide
abortion-related care.
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As a result, I hereby direct the Washington State Patrol to:
• Refrain from providing any cooperation or assistance whatsoever to any out-of-state
law enforcement agency, public entity, or private party if the matter concerns
abortion-related conduct or other reproductive health care or services that are lawful in
Washington, including but not limited to declining to cooperate with an out-of-state
subpoena, search warrant, or court order that has not been domesticated in
Washington;
• Establish a process in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General and my
Office of General Counsel to carefully scrutinize all requests for cooperation,
assistance, or information related to reproductive health care or services from any
party in any state where abortion is banned or otherwise restricted to a degree
inconsistent with Washington law. This process must assume that not all requests
related to reproductive health care or services will be clearly identified as such;
• Require that any such request related to reproductive health care or services be
accompanied by a detailed description of the matter under investigation and the
purpose of the request for cooperation, assistance or information;
• Resolve any uncertainty related to specific requests for cooperation, assistance, or
information related to reproductive health care or services by obtaining direction from
my office, by contacting my General Counsel; and
• Routinely report all such requests for cooperation or assistance related to reproductive
health care or services to my office, which shall include, but not be limited to,
providing information that identifies the source(s), frequency, and nature of the
requests.
All state and local law enforcement agencies are reminded that the state is prohibited from
penalizing, prosecuting or taking any adverse action against an individual based on their
actual, potential, perceived, or alleged pregnancy outcomes, or for aiding or assisting a
pregnant individual in exercising their right to reproductive freedom. RCW 9.02.120.
We have jointly committed with California and Oregon to protect and serve those who enter
our borders seeking lawful abortion services, and to adopt policies that expand those
protections to address any existing gaps. This directive is one step that makes good on that
commitment.
Nothing in this Directive prevents the provision of assistance or information that is necessary
to comply with Washington or federal law.
