“It is a dark day in Arizona.”That is Gov. Katie Hobbs’ (D-AZ) assessment after the state Supreme Court upheld a 1864 abortion ban, virtually wiping out abortion access in the state.
“Just now, the Arizona Supreme Court issued its opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Mayes, upholding one of the most extreme abortion bans in the country. And while it is currently stayed, we continue to live under an unacceptable ban — a law that still strips Arizonans of their personal autonomy and has no exceptions for women who are the victims of rape or incest or any regard for pregnancy complications,” Hobbs said at a news conference after the ruling.
Abortion will be illegal in Arizona from the moment of conception, except in cases where the mother’s life is at risk. Until now, abortion had been legal in Arizona up to 15 weeks of pregnancy.
The law had sat dormant for decades, but since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that there is now no federal or state law preventing Arizona from enforcing the 1864 law.
“Let me be clear, Arizona's 2022 abortion ban is extreme and hurts women,” Hobbs remarked. “And the near-total Civil War-era ban that continues to hang over our heads only serves to create more chaos for women and doctors in our state.”
The ruling is on hold for the moment while a lower court hears additional arguments about the law’s constitutionality.
