When women in states with total abortion bans need medical care, many travel to Pennsylvania — and a single executive order has stood between them and potential legal jeopardy. Now, that protection is at the center of Pennsylvania’s 2026 governor’s race, with real consequences for patients, doctors, and families across the region.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, the Republican candidate challenging incumbent Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, has made clear she opposes an executive order that shields women and physicians from out-of-state anti-abortion laws. If elected, she would have the authority to rescind it.
The order was originally signed by former Gov. Tom Wolf in July 2022, directing state agencies not to cooperate with other states investigating women who travel to Pennsylvania for abortion care. It also extended legal protections to Pennsylvania doctors who treat those out-of-state patients. That same month, Garrity called the order
“shameful”
on the Generally Assembled podcast.
Why This Matters for Patients Across State Lines
The numbers tell a clear story about what is at stake for patients. According to data reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, nearly 10% of all abortions performed in Pennsylvania in 2022 involved residents from other states. Thirteen states currently enforce total abortion bans with few or no exceptions — including West Virginia, which shares a border with Pennsylvania. For many women in those states, crossing into Pennsylvania represents their closest or only realistic option for care.
Removing the executive order’s protections would put both traveling patients and their Pennsylvania doctors in a legally precarious position, potentially deterring physicians from providing care and leaving patients without access to a provider willing to treat them.
A Record That Has Drawn Scrutiny
Garrity’s position on reproductive health care has drawn scrutiny before. Last year, she called it
“totally ridiculous”
that Gov. Shapiro ended public funding for organizations that support crisis pregnancy centers — facilities that critics say often masquerade as medical providers while working to discourage women from seeking abortions, sometimes by spreading health misinformation.
Garrity returned to the issue in July, telling the Bob Cardaro Show that Shapiro’s funding decision proved he is
“all for killing babies.”
Her running mate, Jason Richey, said in May that restoring funding for crisis pregnancy centers could happen on
“day one”
of a Garrity administration — a move that would redirect taxpayer money toward organizations that do not operate as standard health care providers.
Garrity’s campaign has been endorsed by the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation and Life PAC, both of which support total abortion bans. Previous Garrity campaigns also received backing from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. Meanwhile, Shapiro’s reelection bid has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood, and polling shows him with a formidable lead heading into the 2026 election.
For families and patients in Pennsylvania and the surrounding region, the outcome of this race carries direct implications — determining whether the state remains a safe destination for women seeking reproductive health care, and whether the doctors who provide that care can do so without fear of legal consequences from other states.
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