TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — It’s been a contentious few months since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in June.
In Late September, a Pima County Superior Court judge decided in favor of a law pre-dating Arizona’s statehood. That law bans all abortions unless the mother’s life is in danger.
However, earlier this year, Governor Ducey signed a law that banned abortion after 15 weeks unless the mother’s life is in danger or in cases of incest or rape.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona is suing the State of Arizona over the state’s abortion laws.
Jared Keenan, the ACLU of Arizona’s legal director said there’s confusion as to what the law regarding abortion in Arizona really is.
“There’s no sense of clarity for doctors to know whether they can provide essential care and there’s no way for patients to know if they are able to receive that care in Arizona,” Keenan said.
Keenan said they’re suing to ask the Court to clarify the abortion law in Arizona.
“Our view is that you can harmonize all of those and that which would allow doctors, or physicians to perform abortions lawfully up to about 15 weeks,” Keenan said.
Keenan said he’s expecting whichever side loses to appeal to the Court of Appeals and then the Arizona Supreme Court. He said the ACLU of Arizona has their hearing on Tuesday at the Maricopa County Superior Court.
On the other side of the fight, Laura Pederson, the campaign leader for 40 Days for Life Tucson said Arizona’s abortion law is very clear. She said the Pima County’s judge’s decision to lift the injunction made the abortion laws in Arizona transparent.
“There have been a lot of laws enacted to protect the medical process, to protect the women, to protect the minors from abortion,” Pederson said.
Pederson said if the ALCU loses the legal battle, the pro-life movement would still support pregnancy centers who provide free ultrasounds and give away free diapers and carseats. She said they also provide adoption information.
“There are thousands of families across the nation that would love to adopt a newborn baby,” she said.
