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New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Monday (September 8) her decision to intervene in a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against Taylor Bruck, the acting Ulster County clerk. The lawsuit seeks to enforce a Texas court judgment against Dr. Margaret Carpenter, a New Paltz physician accused of mailing abortion pills to a Texas resident, which is illegal in Texas.
The case has sparked a constitutional debate over New York's shield law, which protects healthcare providers from out-of-state legal actions related to abortion and gender-affirming care. James emphasized that "Texas has no authority in New York" and that the shield law is designed to protect New Yorkers from "out-of-state extremists."
Paxton's lawsuit argues that New York's refusal to enforce the judgment violates the U.S. Constitution's Full Faith and Credit Clause. However, James plans to argue that New York cannot be compelled to enforce Texas's "punitive" abortion laws.
Bruck, who refused to file the Texas judgment citing the shield law, has received support from the Ulster County Legislature, which allocated $50,000 for his legal defense. Civil rights attorney Andrew G. Celli, Jr. is representing Bruck and will continue pro bono after the funds are exhausted.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for telehealth shield laws across the country, especially as New York remains one of the eight states with such laws.