Arizona Delays 1864 Abortion Ban Enforcement

Skylar Hawthorne

Updated Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 6:15 AM CDT

Arizona Delays 1864 Abortion Ban Enforcement

In a pivotal legal development, the Arizona Supreme Court has postponed the enforcement of its 1864 abortion law, granting a stay until August 12 with the possibility of extension. The order, filed this Monday, was in response to a request by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, providing a crucial respite for abortion rights advocates. Governor Katie Hobbs recently signed a repeal of the pre-statehood ban, but its effectuation hinges on the legislative session's end, creating a window where the ban could be temporarily reinforced. The stay ensures that the earliest the law could be enforced is September 26, as another case adds a 45-day delay. Planned Parenthood Arizona's bid to halt the ban until the repeal is in force was rejected by the court.

The 1864 statute in question criminalizes abortion at every gestational stage unless it is imperative to save the mother's life, imposing a two to five-year prison sentence on providers. Attorney General Mayes is considering an appeal to the US Supreme Court during the interim.

Meanwhile, Louisiana's political landscape is grappling with its own abortion-related controversies. A bill, backed by Republican state Sen. Thomas Pressly, seeks to classify abortion-inducing drugs misoprostol and mifepristone as Schedule IV controlled substances. The amendment was spurred by a personal incident involving Pressly's sister and is attached to a bill criminalizing the administration of abortion medication without consent. Amidst statewide abortion bans, including in cases of r*** or i*****, this reclassification has been met with opposition from over 260 healthcare professionals who assert the safety and non-addictive nature of these medications.

While the bill does not ban the prescription or dispensation of these drugs for bona fide medical reasons, it introduces penalties for unauthorized possession. Possession without prescription could lead to felony charges, five-year imprisonments, and fines up to $5,000, although there is an exemption for pregnant women using the drugs personally. Doctors believe the provision will not adversely affect women's healthcare services, and physicians can still prescribe these medications for legitimate medical purposes. The proposed law would also increase penalties for the distribution of Schedule IV drugs.

As the legislative session in Louisiana continues, lawmakers have until June 3 to pass the bill before it reaches Republican Governor Jeff Landry's desk for potential ratification. The outcome in both states will significantly shape the regional and national discourse on reproductive rights and access to healthcare.

Conservative Bias:

Once again, the liberal agenda rears its ugly head, folks, as Arizona's Supreme Court bows down to the left's relentless assault on the sanctity of life. In an act of judicial activism, they've delayed the rightful enforcement of an abortion law that's been on the books since before the Civil War—a law that protects the unborn and upholds moral decency. This stalling tactic, orchestrated by the state's Attorney General, is nothing but a thinly veiled attempt to undermine the will of the people and the legislature. It's a slap in the face to all those who value life and a transparent ploy to keep the abortion mills running overtime. And over in Louisiana, a brave Republican is standing up to the abortion pill pushers, trying to regulate these dangerous drugs that the left wants to distribute like candy. They're fighting tooth and nail, but we know that these so-called healthcare professionals are really just abortion advocates in disguise, trying to keep their grisly business afloat at the expense of innocent lives. It's time to take a stand against this culture of death and put an end to this madness.

Liberal Bias:

In a desperate attempt to cling to their archaic and oppressive ideologies, conservatives in Arizona are fighting tooth and nail to resurrect a draconian 1864 abortion law—a law that should have been left in the dustbin of history. Thankfully, the forces of reason and compassion have won a temporary victory as the state's Supreme Court has delayed this monstrous law, giving hope to women who believe in their right to control their own bodies. But make no mistake, the conservative war on women's rights is relentless and insidious. Meanwhile, in Louisiana, GOP lawmakers are trying to criminalize vital healthcare by demonizing safe and essential abortion-inducing medications. These medications, which are endorsed by the medical community, are being scapegoated in a sinister effort to punish and control women, all under the guise of 'safety.' It's a blatant attack on reproductive rights, and it's being led by politicians who have no business meddling in the private healthcare decisions of women. We must remain vigilant and fight back against these regressive forces that seek to roll back the clock on women's rights.

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