Arizona Court Allows Shiny New Abortion Restrictions To Take Effect
Yesterday an Arizona appeals court ruled that parts of a 2009 state law that imposes new abortion restrictions can go into effect. According to the judges, laws only violate women’s rights when they create an “undue burden.” Placing some burden on women trying to obtain a legal procedure is totally fine.
The new law says that women must see a doctor in person on the day before getting an abortion. The Associated Press reports that currently, the required “informed consent” talk about abortion risks and alternatives can take place over the phone with a doctor or nurse practitioner. The law also cracks down on nurse practitioners performing abortions.
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Planned Parenthood may appeal the decision, but it still doesn’t bode well for the future of reproductive choice in Arizona. The court will soon consider other laws that would impose new restrictions on the personnel, equipment, and facilities of clinics that only offer medical abortions, and ban nurse practitioners from performing them too. Opening a pill bottle is quite the delicate procedure, and lawmakers aren’t sure that nurse practitioners are up to it.