On Monday, Democrat Governor Tina Kotek declared March 10 as “Abortion Provider Appreciation Day” in Oregon, reaffirming her administration’s commitment to expanding abortion access in the wake of post-Roe v. Wade restrictions in conservative-led states. The declaration comes as Oregon has seen a significant increase in out-of-state patients seeking abortions due to new restrictions in states such as Idaho, Texas, and Louisiana.
“Here in Oregon, we understand that abortion is health care, and providers are appreciated and can continue to provide care without interference and intimidation,” Kotek said in a press release. “To our providers and to the patients who live in Oregon or have been forced to retreat to our state for care, know that I continue to have your back.”
Governor Kotek signed the declaration in Salem with representatives from Planned Parenthood, the Lilith Clinic, and Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) in attendance.
According to the Oregon Health Authority, 10,075 abortions were performed in Oregon in 2023, with 1,661 of those procedures performed on out-of-state patients—a nearly 60% increase from 2022, the year the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Kotek has positioned Oregon as a sanctuary for abortion services, instructing the Oregon Health Authority to collaborate with OHSU to ensure a 20-year supply of Mifepristone, a key abortion medication, following President Trump’s re-election in November. While Trump has stated his position of leaving abortion laws to individual states, Kotek has taken aggressive steps to secure access within Oregon.
A longtime advocate for abortion access, Kotek previously led the passage of the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) in 2017 as Speaker of the Oregon House. As governor, she has pushed regulators to enforce compliance with the law among insurers, penalizing those that fail to do so.
In 2023, Kotek signed House Bill 2002, known as the Access to Reproductive Health Care law, which strengthens abortion protections and allocates taxpayer funding to support abortion advocacy groups and clinics to ensure greater accessibility for out-of-state individuals seeking abortions in Oregon.
