Arizona’s attorney general has been granted an additional 90 days by the state’s highest court to determine any further legal action regarding the repeal of a near-total ban on abortion. This ban, which has been in effect for 160 years, was recently voted to be repealed by lawmakers.
The Arizona Supreme Court has decided to uphold the current law that permits abortion up to 15 weeks of pregnancy. This means that Attorney General Kris Mayes has been granted additional time to determine whether to escalate the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Mayes expressed his gratitude for the order and stated that the 1864 law will now come into effect on September 26. This timeline includes the 90 days that have been granted, as well as an additional 45 days stipulated in a separate case.
Mayes expressed his commitment to ensuring that doctors have the freedom to provide medical care based on their professional judgment, rather than being constrained by the beliefs held by the legislators who were elected over a century ago.
The Arizona Supreme Court made a decision in April to reinstate an older law that does not have any exceptions for rape or incest. Under this law, abortions are only permitted if the mother’s life is at risk. The majority opinion also indicated that doctors could potentially face prosecution and receive a maximum sentence of five years in prison if found guilty.
The Civil War-era law was narrowly repealed by the Legislature, but its effects will not be nullified until 90 days after the current annual session of lawmakers concludes. The uncertainty lies in whether there will be a transitional period during which the old ban can still be enforced before the repeal comes into effect.
The Alliance Defending Freedom, the anti-abortion group supporting the ban, expressed their determination to continue their fight despite the recent delay.
According to the senior counsel of the group, Jake Warner, Arizona’s pro-life law has been effective in safeguarding the rights of unborn children for more than a century. Warner expressed the group’s commitment to furthering the protection of unborn children and advocating for comprehensive support and healthcare services for families in Arizona.
Angela Florez, CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona, expressed her support for the decision, emphasizing that the organization remains committed to providing abortion care up to 15 weeks of pregnancy. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that patients have access to abortion care for as long as it is legally permissible.
