Arizona News – On September 23, 2022, a judge in Pima County ruled that Arizona can enforce a near-total ban on abortions. The law, originally passed in 1864, was challenged by Planned Parenthood Arizona which was successful in securing an injunction against it. Although it has been blocked for nearly 50 years, the reversal of Roe v. Wade allowed the state to argue for its reenactment. By lifting the injunction, abortions, with certain narrow exceptions, are now banned in Arizona. The ACLU of Arizona issued the following response in reaction:
“Today’s ruling is a devastating decision and marks a dark day in Arizona’s history. No one should be forced to carry a pregnancy to term against their will. By allowing this archaic law to go into effect, Arizona has put the lives of pregnant people at risk and will send doctors to prison for doing what’s best for their patient,” said Jennifer Allen, executive director for the ACLU of Arizona. “Our vote now holds more power than ever. Elected officials, like county attorneys, have the power to exercise their prosecutorial discretion and decline to go after physicians. We encourage voters to elect those who will do everything within their power to protect abortion access.”