Arizona Supreme Court Upholds Near-Total Abortion Ban
The Arizona Supreme Court dealt a major blow to abortion access in the state by ruling that a 160-year-old law banning nearly all abortions must be enforced. In a 4-2 decision, the high court overturned a court of appeals ruling. That had blocked enforcement of the pre-statehood ban on the procedure.
The Civil War-era law bans abortion at any stage of pregnancy. Except if necessary to save the life of the mother. Reproductive rights groups argued it was supersede by a 2022 law pass by the state legislature. That banned abortion after 15 weeks of gestation. However, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled this week that the newer law could not override the older ban.
Reaction to the Ruling
The ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court met with outrage by abortion rights supporters. Governor Katie Hobbs called it “outrageous” to have the government dictate medical decisions. And vowed to continue fighting to protect reproductive rights. Attorney General Kris Mayes also criticize the decision, saying no doctors or women would be prosecute under the “draconian” ban while she remains in office.
Reproductive rights groups have vowed to continue challenging the ruling in lower courts and are collecting signatures for a ballot measure that would ask voters to amend the state constitution to protect abortion access. The battle over abortion laws in Arizona is likely to continue well into next year.
