New Arizona Law to Restrict Abortions

A group of medical professionals including two abortion providers, their respective clinics, and an OB/GYNSuzanne Novak who does not provide abortions are asking a federal court to block enforcement of new state restrictions on abortion that would significantly reduce women’s access to abortion services in Arizona and put physicians at risk of losing their licenses. The law prevents women from obtaining abortions in one day, instead requiring them to make two separate trips to a physician’s office: first, to hear state-mandated information in person and then, after waiting twenty-four hours, to obtain their abortions.  And one part of the new law is written that it would also prohibit a doctor from receiving payment for any medical service from a patient who inquires about abortion until after he or she has received abortion counseling, regardless of whether she seeks an abortion.

“This law will have a serious impact on women’s ability to obtain abortions in Arizona,” said Suzanne Novak, senior staff attorney in U.S. Legal Program of the Center for Reproductive Rights.  “Women are more than capable of making their own decisions regarding their reproductive health and this law does nothing to inform them.  Rather, it makes obtaining an abortion a difficult, or even impossible, challenge for some women and will threaten the health and safety of many women seeking abortions.”

Scott Drake talks to Suzanne Novak.