California Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed a plan that would allow Arizona doctors to provide abortions to their patients in California in response to Arizona’s near-total ban on abortions. The proposal would only apply to doctors licensed in Arizona and would last through the end of November. Newsom and lawmakers in California have called the Arizona law “draconian” and believe it is their obligation to protect access to abortions. The bill would need to pass by a two-thirds vote in the Legislature before reaching Newsom’s desk for approval.
Dr. Tanya Spirtos, the president of the California Medical Association, expressed support for the proposal, stating that all medical decisions, including those related to abortion, should be made by patients in consultation with their healthcare providers. The Arizona Supreme Court recently paved the way for the near-total ban on abortions to move forward, making it one of 15 states with such restrictions. California’s laws generally allow abortions up to the point of fetal viability, around 24 weeks.
Despite a decline in the number of reported abortions in Arizona in recent years, some lawmakers, both in California and Arizona, have expressed concerns about the potential impact of the ban. Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma criticized Newsom for focusing on out-of-state issues rather than addressing problems within California. However, some Arizona lawmakers, like State Sen. Eva Burch, a Democrat who has had two abortions for nonviable pregnancies, view the California proposal as a positive step and hope that Arizona will repeal the ban.
Newsom’s efforts to defend abortion access in California have become a priority for his administration, with initiatives such as enshrining abortion access in the state constitution and providing financial assistance for women from other states to access abortions in California. In response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, California has launched a publicly funded website to promote its abortion services and inform teenagers from other states that parental permission is not required. Newsom’s advocacy for abortion rights has also extended beyond California, with his political action committee running ads in Republican-led states to criticize restrictive measures.
As part of his advocacy for abortion rights, Newsom launched a dramatic ad in Alabama depicting a young woman being stopped by a police officer as she tried to leave the state for an abortion. This ad was released in response to a proposed bill in Alabama that would criminalize assisting individuals under 18 in obtaining abortions without parental consent. Newsom’s campaign on abortion rights has become a notable aspect of his role as a surrogate for President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. The coverage of the issue has sparked discussion and debate among lawmakers and advocates in both California and Arizona.
