Abortion: Ariz. Near-Total Ban Won't Take Effect Until 2023

Image copyright: AP Photo/File [The Hill]

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.


Metaculus Prediction


Go Deeper


Articles on this story