PHOENIX—Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following statement marking the anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade:
A year ago, Arizonans didn’t know where their fundamental rights and access to reproductive health care stood. The Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade, stripping the federal constitutional right to abortion care. Today, Arizona has leaders that are committed to clarity and sanity.
For many, the feelings experienced on that day – confusion, anger, sadness – haven't gone away. I feel it when I see stories from around the country of women denied basic health care or wait in lines at clinics. Arizonans deserve better.
We have seen that anti-abortion extremists will stop at nothing in their attempts to impose their radical beliefs on the rest of the country. I don't accept that. We are on offense, and we will not let up.
Governor Hobbs centralized authority over abortion-related prosecutions in Arizona courts in the Attorney General’s office. That means Arizonans can seek abortions and access reproductive health care – without interference or fear of criminal prosecution.
From my first day in office, the Arizona Attorney General's Office hit the ground running with several reproductive rights-related cases already pending in the courts.
Significantly, we are defending a court of appeals decision that provided something Arizonans desperately needed: clarity on the law of land regarding abortion. The decision was that the 1864 territorial near-total ban did not override more recent abortion-related laws.
And because my office participated in multi-state litigation, we have been able to assure patients and providers that medication for abortion and miscarriage care remains legal in our state.
In addition, a dedicated Reproductive Rights Unit in our office is actively monitoring and engaging with many of issues and legal developments in the reproductive healthcare space.
The aftermath of Dobbs has brought many challenges, but it has also demonstrated the resilience of our community. I am devoted to protecting Arizonans’ privacy and bodily autonomy. We are charging forward.
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