Nevada’s Joe Lombardo on Tuesday became one of the first Republican governors to enshrine protections for out-of-state abortion patients and in-state providers, adding the western swing state to the list of those who passed new laws to strengthen their status as abortion safe havens patients.

The legislation codifies an existing executive order from former Gov. Steve Sisolak lost reelection last year to Lombardo, which bars state agencies from assisting with out-of-state investigations that could lead to the prosecution of abortion patients traveling to Nevada. It also ensures that medical boards and committees that oversee medical licensing do not penalize or disqualify doctors who perform abortions.

Lombardo, who describes himself as pro-life and was endorsed by the National Right to Life Committee, said during the campaign trail that he would respect the will of voters who codified abortion rights to 24 weeks in a 1990 referendum. He was the only Republican gubernatorial candidate who defeated an incumbent democratic state in the last election.

I would like to thank you [Lombardo] for fulfilling its commitment to ensure Nevada will not participate in the prosecution of women who come here to exercise their reproductive rights, Nicole Cannizzaro, Majority Leader in the Democratic Senate who sponsored the legislation, said Tuesday in a statement.

Lombardo is one of the few Republican governors, the others being the governor of Vermont. Phil Scott and former Governor of Massachusetts. Charlie Baker to sign into law enshrining abortion protections.

The provisions were a major flashpoint in one of the closest gubernatorial races to the 2022 midterm elections and became the latest reflection point for how GOP lawmakers and candidates are navigating abortion policy debates in blue or purple states. Lombardo originally said he would revoke the executive order, but months later said he would uphold it, a reversal that Sisolak’s campaign repeatedly stressed. In February, he indicated he would sign the bill, which adds no additional protection to Sisolak’s executive order.

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Governor Lombardo made a campaign commitment to ensure Nevada would not participate in the prosecution of those seeking legal medical care in the state, spokesman Elizabeth Ray said in a statement. Governor Lombardo kept that promise today.

Cannizzaro told the Associated Press last month that she was not aware of specific cases of foreign states prosecuting women who come to Nevada for abortion, but said it could happen with stricter laws from other states. She cited restrictions approved in neighboring Idaho and Utah.

Democratic-controlled states, including California, Colorado and Rhode Island, have passed legislation similar to that in Nevada.

The Nevada State Senate introduced the legislation last month, with two Republican women joining Democrats in support of the bill. After the vote, the Nevada Republican Party said it was horrified that the two voted in favor of the measure, revealing a disagreement between the parties over how to handle abortion legislation following the overturning of Roe v. Wade through the Supreme Court. The Nevada GOP did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Tuesday’s signing.

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Earlier this month, the Democratic-controlled Nevada legislature introduced a resolution that would enshrine existing abortion rights in the state constitution, making them much more difficult to rescind. After passing the 2023 session, it must also pass in 2025 before appearing on the 2026 ballot for voters.

That process does not include the governor’s approval.