Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has a golden state of mind as she explores options after the Arizona Supreme Court upheld a law outlawing abortion unless a mother faces immediate life-threatening conditions.
The decision was handed down earlier this week, enraging abortion activists. It will be “prospectively enforced” by April 23. The Arizona Democrat told NBC News that her office is talking with neighboring states about a safe haven for abortion providers as she attempts to block enforcement of the law, mentioning California as one of the possible states.
“I totally understand the fear that doctors, pharmacists, and nurses are having right now in the face of the knowledge that we are barreling toward the potential implementation of this 1864 ban,” Mayes said.
“That’s why I’m working with other states on avenues for potentially having them go to those states to practice medicine in the near term. One of my visions is that potentially we could have a safe haven in California for our doctors, nurses, and abortion providers,” she added.
California voters enshrined abortion until viability during the 2022 election, and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has regularly touted his state’s access to abortion in contrast with states that restrict the practice.
The Arizona law has caused bipartisan backlash, with Democrats and some Republicans arguing that it goes too far with its restrictions. Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) blamed Republicans for the law being upheld, noting their support of the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which moved abortion law back to the states.
“The fact is that some of the Republicans right now, who are saying that this decision went too far, are the same politicians who celebrated the Dobbs decision, which paved the way for this court ruling today,” Hobbs told CNN earlier this week.
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Former President Donald Trump has called on legislators in the Grand Canyon State and Hobbs to “act immediately” on a “common sense” solution to override the current 1864 law.
“We must ideally have the three Exceptions for Rape, Incest, and Life of the Mother. This is important! Democrats are the EXTREMISTS – They support Abortion up to the moment of birth, and even execution of Babies, in some cases, after birth. This should not be. Arizona Legislature, please act as fast as possible!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday.
