Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says providers should face criminal consequences — not the woman— if an illegal abortion is performed in the state

During an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said that providers should face criminal consequences if they perform an illegal abortion in the state.

The governor denied that there will be a department in Arkansas that inspects all miscarriages.

To make sure that abortion clinics follow the law, we have oversight. This is about a limited ruling on abortion that will save lives. The exception is if the life of the mother is in danger, and that is between the doctor and the mother.

They are going to make decisions on how to handle those things. This is not about anything else.

—Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) June 26, 2022

Arkansas was one of the states that hadtrigger laws after the Supreme Court legalized abortion. There are no exceptions for incest or rape in the state.

The governor was asked if doctors who perform abortions would get investigated.

Hutchinson said that they definitely shouldn't.

They have to make those decisions. It isn't the state's judgement to change those. They make those decisions. If there is an abortion, then you have to make a decision about the provider, not the woman.