A protester holds a sign in opposition to HB314, which would ban abortions in all cases except the health of the mother outside the Alabama State House on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 in Montgomery, AL. Elijah Nouvelage | The Washington Post | Getty Images

Maryland's chief financial officer on Thursday called for a number of retaliatory economic measures against Alabama in response to the state's passage of the nation's most restrictive abortion legislation. The bill was signed Wednesday by Republican Gov. Kay Ivey. Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, a Democrat who also serves as vice chair of the state's retirement system, is seeking a full divestment of the $52 billion pension fund from Alabama businesses and will soon make the case to the system's board of trustees, he said. First, he said, he will order his staff to prepare a report on the retirement system's exposure to Alabama to make sure that it can be done responsibly. Read more: Alabama lawmakers, with eyes on overturning Roe v. Wade, pass nation's strictest abortion ban Franchot also said he will order his staff of 1,100 employees not to travel to Alabama on business and will use his seat on the three-member Board of Public Works to limit contracts given to Alabama companies. That board, which also includes Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, awards $11 billion in contracts annually, he noted.

While Franchot, who was elected to a four-year term in 2018, is unable to take some of those actions unilaterally, his call is an early sign that Alabama could pay an economic price for its decision to ban doctors from performing abortions at any stage during a pregnancy. That legislation, which is unenforceable under federal law, is meant to encourage the Supreme Court to revisit and overrule the landmark abortion ruling Roe v. Wade, according to its supporters. A spokesperson for Ivey did not respond to a request for comment. She said in a statement Wednesday that the legislation "stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians' deeply held belief that every life is precious & that every life is a sacred gift from God."

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot. Linda Davidson | The Washington Post | Getty Images