On April 8, Lee, a Republican, issued an executive order, limiting access to non-emergency healthcare procedures, including abortions, in Tennessee through the end of the month. The order said it was aimed at reducing the spread of Covid-19.
Republican governors in other states, including Texas, Ohio and Alabama, have issued similar orders, including abortion among the list of nonessential medical procedures that should be postponed or canceled during the pandemic, leading abortion rights advocates and reproductive health care providers to file lawsuits. State officials point to the need to conserve personal protective equipment as coronavirus cases climb, while abortion rights supporters criticize the move as politically motivated.
In an April 10 letter to health care providers, Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey wrote that Lee’s order prevents “unnecessary use” of personal protective equipment “that are in extremely short supply, especially N95 masks,” according to court documents.
Her letter stated that “failure to comply” with the order is a “Class A misdemeanor and may result in possible disciplinary action by your respective board.”
Lee’s order prompted several Tennessee reproductive healthcare providers to file a motion on April 13, seeking a temporary restraining order.