In a significant ruling on Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld a 123-year-old law that restricts abortions in the state. The law, dating back to 1864 and officially codified in 1901, prohibits abortions except in cases where it is necessary to save the pregnant person's life. Violation of this law could result in a prison sentence of two to five years for abortion providers, although there is currently a 14-day stay on the law.
With this decision, Arizona joins states like Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi in implementing near-total abortion bans with minimal exceptions. The court's ruling clarifies that all abortions, except those required to save a woman's life, are now deemed illegal in the state, potentially leading to criminal sanctions for abortions performed after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
While Arizona's Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs criticized the decision, calling the ban extreme and harmful to women, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes stated that her office would not enforce the law during her tenure. The ruling comes amidst a broader national debate on abortion access following the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the US Supreme Court in 2022.
Reproductive rights advocates have strongly condemned the Arizona Supreme Court's decision and have vowed to continue fighting for abortion rights. Planned Parenthood Arizona expressed concerns over the ruling's impact on bodily autonomy and access to abortion services in the state.
The legal battle over abortion laws in Arizona has been ongoing, with conflicting statutes from different time periods. The state Supreme Court's recent ruling provides clarity on the current legal framework surrounding abortion in Arizona, although advocacy groups are mobilizing efforts to secure abortion rights through a 2024 ballot measure.
As the debate over abortion rights intensifies across the country, the Arizona Supreme Court's decision marks a significant development in the ongoing struggle between advocates for reproductive rights and opponents of abortion access.
