Abortion: Ariz. Near-Total Ban Won't Take Effect Until 2023
The Facts
A pre-statehood law banning all abortions — apart from those necessary to save a mother's life — will not be enforced in Arizona until at least 2023, following an agreement between the state's attorney general and Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood resumed abortion treatment across Arizona on Thursday following dialogue with Republican AG Mark Brnovich. Although he petitioned a court in Tucson to reinstate the 1864 law — which would see those illegally carrying out abortions face prison terms of 2-5 years — the court of appeals overturned the ruling.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
The blocking of ARS 13-3603 is a cause for celebration but Arizonians still face a long and uncertain path to cementing access to abortion care. Reproductive rights are only temporarily restored, and women face a potentially uncertain future under dystopian Republican legislation.
Republican narrative
Democratic nominees are peddling extremist narratives about pro-life GOP politicians while, at the same time, refusing to clarify their stance. If Democrats are elected in the midterms, Arizona faces the removal of all restrictions on abortion — even possibly on highly contentious partial-birth and sex-selective terminations.
