Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch and 18 other state attorneys general are challenging a proposed change to federal privacy laws that would prevent states from investigating violations of state abortion laws.
In a June 16 letter (pdf), Ms. Fitch, a Republican, called on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to withdraw a proposed change to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountancy Act (HIPAA). Under the proposed change, state authorities would not have access to personal health information about abortions performed in states where the procedure is legal.
Ms. Fitch and the other attorneys general argue that Mississippi and the other respective states should be able to track this information, saying there has always been an exception for law enforcement and regulatory agencies to obtain evidence of possible violations of state laws or when such an investigation is in the interest of protecting public health….