Tatazeter – On Wednesday, Senator Mark Kelly visited a Tempe Planned Parenthood clinic. He expressed his desire for greater expansion of reproductive rights notwithstanding the reversal of Arizona’s nearly complete abortion ban.
Following an 1864 abortion legislation that outlaws the procedure unless it is necessary to save a mother’s life, the Arizona Supreme Court decided last month that the state should enforce the 1864 abortion ban.
Though it is unlikely to ever take effect, state legislators voted earlier this month to remove the 160-year-old law. However, a 2022 legislation that outlaws abortions after 15 weeks of gestation is still in effect and applies to abortion providers in Arizona.
According to Kelly, Planned Parenthood employees are still concerned about the 15-week law.
SEE MORE – Arizona Senate Bidder Mark Lamb Sued Regarding Pinal County Sheriff Records, What Should You ‘KNOW’
“Staff talked about the challenges that present for patients who often don’t know about fetal anomalies until after 15 weeks, and then to get a procedure that they need for their health care, they have to travel out of state,” said Kelly. “That’s just wrong.”
Kelly was informed recently by Planned Parenthood employees that some patients were unclear about Arizona’s abortion laws. Kelly added that medical professionals are being scared off by the state’s two-year legal back and forth over abortion regulations.
The Association of American Medical Colleges provided recent statistics, which he used to demonstrate that this year’s decline in OBGYN residency applications in Arizona was over 25%.
“We’re going to be suffering the effects of this potentially for decades because we’re going to potentially not have the workforce to provide health care for women in our state,” Kelly explained.
According to Kelly, he would back federal legislation that ensures access to abortion services across the country.
