The Department of Health and Human Services issued clarifying guidance Monday that says federal law preempts state abortion bans in emergency situations.

The new guidance is in response to states enacting strict anti-abortion laws following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

In a letter to healthcare providers, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra says, "As frontline health care providers, the federal EMTALA statute protects your clinical judgment and the action that you take to provide stabilizing medical treatment to your pregnant patients, regardless of the restrictions in the state where you practice."

Becerra adds that the course of treatment is up to the physician or other qualified medical personnel.

"Stabilizing treatment could include medical and/or surgical interventions (e.g., abortion, removal of one or both fallopian tubes, anti-hypertensive therapy, methotrexate therapy etc.), irrespective of any state laws or mandates that apply to specific procedures," he said.

Becerra said that hospitals that don't comply with the guidance could lose their Medicare provider agreement or face civil monetary penalties.

According to the Associated Press, abortions are banned or restricted in more than 20 states.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Republicans in the Florida House of Representatives have approved a ban on abortions after 15 weeks, moving to tighten access to the procedure ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could limit abortion rights in America.

The GOP-controlled House early Thursday passed the 15-week abortion ban after hours of debate between Democrats who said the measure would impose an unnecessary burden on pregnant women and Republicans who said they were protecting the unborn.

According to The Associated Press, the bill contains exceptions if the procedure would save a mother’s life, prevent serious injury to the mother or if the fetus has a fatal abnormality.

The bill now moves to the Republican-controlled Senate. Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled that he would sign the bill into law if it passed the Senate.

Republicans in several state legislatures are moving to place new restrictions on abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court signaled it would uphold a Mississippi law prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks and potentially overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.