Biden administration proposes new privacy protections for abortion seekers and providers.

The Biden administration will propose a new rule aimed at safeguarding privacy and prohibiting the prosecution of individuals who seek abortions. The proposed rule comes in response to a Texas federal judge's ruling to suspend the FDA's approval of medication abortion drug mifepristone. The rule proposes to strengthen privacy protections by prohibiting the use or disclosure of protected health information by regulated entities for a criminal, civil, or administrative investigation into proceedings against a person in connection with seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating reproductive health care where such health care is lawful under the circumstances in which it was provided. The US Department of Education is also issuing guidance to remind over 20,000 school officials of their obligations to student privacy, among other new administration efforts.