California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced a new bill in the state Legislature on Wednesday that would allow Arizona abortion providers to be quickly approved to work in California, in response to the implementation of one of the strictest abortion in the country by Arizona.
An Arizona Supreme Court ruling earlier this month implemented an 1864 abortion law that bars access to the procedure in almost all circumstances starting May 1. Despite calls from national Republicans to replace the law with a less stringent measure, Republican state legislators have rejected attempts to overturn it.
“Arizona Republicans continue to put women in danger – embracing a draconian law passed when Arizona was a territory, not even a state,” Newsom said in a statement. “California will not sit idly by. We are urgently changing legislation to allow Arizona doctors to provide safe, reliable reproductive care to Arizonans here in California.”
The California Legislative Women’s Caucus joined him in announcing the legislation.
The California bill, if passed, would allow abortion providers in Arizona to quickly obtain licenses to operate in California.
“This legislation is a valuable stopgap even if Arizona’s Republican-led Legislature passes a law to repeal the 1864 extreme prohibition,” Newsom’s office said. “With its urgency provision, SB 233 would fill a critical gap in care for a significant period before a repeal in Arizona could be implemented. Quick action helps combat the confusion and frightening effect this back-and-forth creates.”
Newsom, who is also a surrogate for President Biden’s reelection campaign, said in an interview Sunday that the focus on Arizona comes at a time when abortion rights appear to be a central campaign issue for the November election.
The effort is set to “concentrate electorally in Arizona, concentrate electorally in Nevada, states that will play a potentially outsized role in this election,” he said.
An abortion ballot measure will be on the November ballot in Arizona. Other states — including the swing state of Nevada — have adopted similar ballot measures. These efforts have helped Democrats in recent elections, including gubernatorial victories in Kansas and Kentucky.
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