Arizona Laws Restrict Access to Abortion

According to a report from the Associated Press last night, there's not much time left for pro-choice advocates in Arizona to block a set of laws that would make it more complicated for a woman to receive an abortion.

According to a report from the Associated Press last night, there’s not much time left for pro-choice advocates in Arizona to block a set of laws that would make it more complicated for a woman to receive an abortion.

"Unless put on hold, the new law takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 30. Gov. Jan Brewer signed the law on July 13, and the lawsuits were filed two months later on Sept. 14." Both state and federal judges have scheduled hearings for next Tuesday to discuss the laws’ constitutionality.

According to the Phoenix Business Journal, the laws, which were vetoed by former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, require: "That only physicians can perform surgical abortions. The law prohibits nurses from performing the procedure; That women receive certain information, including information on fetal pain, from a doctor in person 24 hours before her abortion; That parental consent forms be notarized." One of the laws also restricts late term abortions. Planned Parenthood, one of the organizations suing to stop these laws from going into effect, believes that this puts unnecessary steps between the woman and the procedure.

"This law puts the health and well being of more than half of our state’s residents at risk by restricting women’s access to comprehensive care," said Bryan Howard, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona in a statement. "We believe the regulations should not be put into place until the court rules on the legality of this onerous law."

But according to LifeNews.com, anti-choice advocates have jumped to protect the laws since the suits were filed last week.

"Two Arizona legislators together with pro-life physicians and organizations filed motions Tuesday through their attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund to support an Arizona abortion law. They want to intervene to protect the laws limiting abortions that Planned Parenthood wants to overturn."