Arizona State Senate Democratic Leadership
Democratic Leader Mitzi Epstein (LD12)
Democratic Assistant Leader Juan Mendez (LD8)
Democratic Whip Eva Burch (LD9)
Democratic Caucus Chair Lela Alston (LD5)
PRESS RELEASE
PHOENIX – Senate Democratic Leadership released the following statement on the Arizona Supreme Court Opinion on the Planned Parenthood et al v. Kristin Mayes/Hazelrigg case. The court has now officially upheld the territorial ban on abortion, effectively ending access to legal and safe abortion in Arizona after a 14-calendar day stay on enforcement.
“The Republican-appointed Arizona Supreme Court has decided to criminalize abortion in Arizona by upholding the 1864 territorial abortion ban and end legal abortion in all cases unless necessary to save the life of the mother. It’s a worse-case scenario Democrats predicted and have been preparing for, working to see the future of reproductive freedom in the hands of Arizonans.
Legislative Republicans demonstrated their full support for a total ban on abortion in the amicus brief they filed with the Arizona Supreme Court, saying “If the Legislature had intended...to legalize abortions prior to 15 weeks’ gestation, it could have done so easily by repealing A.R.S. § 13-3603, or simply substituting “non-physician” for “person.” Not only did the Legislature not do so, it explicitly disavowed any intention to “[r]epeal, by implication or otherwise, section 13-3603.”
The Republican position on abortion in Arizona has always been crystal clear: the government should control your bodies and your decision-making. The hindsight of some Legislative Republicans, attempting to distance themselves from this Supreme Court Decision, is disingenuous and contrary to their long legislative record on reproductive health.
But women in Arizona should not have to experience rape, incest or a threat to their lives in order to seek reproductive healthcare and legal abortion. Women do not make these decisions lightly. Our caucus is committed to using every legislative avenue available to protect your right to safe abortion access, contraception, and family planning services.
The most powerful people in this conversation are everyday Arizonans.”
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