Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich is asking Gov. Doug Ducey to call a special legislative session to help clarify the legal status of abortion in the state.
A near-total ban that dates back to the Civil War-era was reinstated last week. That conflicts with a law passed this year that allows abortions up to 15 weeks.
Brnovich noted that the new law specifically says it does not repeal the 1860s ban. His office sent a letter on Wednesday to Ducey’s office, asking the governor to take a clear legal position and reconvene the Legislature to help alleviate the confusion.
Several community organizations and stakeholders are also asking Ducey to open a special session in hopes of repealing the territorial ban.
Community groups and stakeholders include:
- Abortion Fund of Arizona
- ACLU of Arizona
- American Association of University Women Arizona
- Arizona Birthworkers of Color
- Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement
- Arizona Family Health Partnership
- Arizona List
- Arizona NOW
- Arizona Protect Our Care
- Arizona Working Families Party
- Asian Pacific Community in Action
- Black Political Cultivation AZ
- Camelback Family Planning
- Central Phoenix Inez Casiano NOW
- Desert Star Family Planning
- Equality Arizona
- Gabrielle Goodrick, MD
- League of Women Voters Arizona
- LULAC of Arizona
- NARAL Pro-Choice Arizona
- National Council of Jewish Women Arizona
- National Institute for Reproductive Health
- Patient Forward
- Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona
- Pro-Choice Arizona
- Progress Arizona
- Secular AZ
- State Conference NAACP
- YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix
- YWCA Southern Arizona
