California governor signs bill to allow doctors to avoid following Arizona’s abortion law.
Abortionists in Arizona seeking refuge from a recently reinstated, 160-year-old law criminalizing abortions in nearly all cases can now look to California for support. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, fresh from the Vatican Climate Summit in Rome, signed Senate Bill 233 to provide a safety net for those affected by Arizona’s new restrictive laws.
“Arizona Republicans attempted to roll back the clock to 1864 by imposing a near-total abortion ban across their state,” Newsom stated. “We cannot idly stand by and allow their oppressive and dangerous attacks on women to go unchallenged.”
Newsom, alongside the state’s women’s caucus, acted swiftly following the news of Arizona’s Supreme Court decision, ensuring that California remains a bastion of reproductive freedom.
Senate Bill 233, spearheaded by Democratic State Senator Nancy Skinner, will shield Arizona abortion providers from penalties and allow them to perform abortions on Arizona residents on Californian soil. This bill, which passed through both the Assembly and the Senate, provides a crucial lifeline for those affected by Arizona’s draconian legislation.
“With Governor Newsom’s signature on SB 233, our Arizona sisters can seek essential healthcare from their trusted physicians in California,” Skinner affirmed. “This legislation ensures that medical professionals can provide necessary reproductive care without fear of imprisonment under Arizona’s archaic 1864 law.”
In recent months, Governor Newsom has amplified his support for reproductive rights on a national scale. His recent ad targeting Alabama Republicans opposing out-of-state abortion access underscores his commitment to protecting women’s healthcare choices.
Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, California, alongside other progressive states, took proactive measures to expand abortion access. In a media appearance, Governor Newsom highlighted the urgent need to counteract restrictive abortion legislation in states like Tennessee, Idaho, and Oklahoma in real-time with proactive measures.
The Arizona Supreme Court’s April ruling to revert to a near-total abortion ban sparked widespread outrage. The legislation criminalizes anyone involved in facilitating an abortion, potentially resulting in severe penalties.
One key exception within the law permits abortions in cases where the mother’s life is at risk. Despite this caveat, the ramifications of this extreme legislation are far-reaching and deeply concerning.
In a separate initiative, the California legislature thwarted an attempt to mandate the inclusion of pro-life pregnancy care center information in school curriculums for students from 7th to 12th grade. This decision underscores California’s commitment to safeguarding reproductive rights and ensuring access to comprehensive health information.
