On Monday, the Arizona Supreme Court granted a motion made by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes asking for an additional 90-day stay of the near-total ban on abortions in Planned Parenthood vs. Hazelrigg.
The ruling stops the law from going into effect until September 26. Prior to the ruling, the law could have been enforced beginning June 26.
In April, the Court ruled 4-2 last month that a stay could be lifted on a law that was created in 1864 but reaffirmed by state leaders in 1977 to ban all abortions unless a mother’s life is at risk, as was reported by The Center Square.
On May 2, Governor Katie Hobbs signed a a bill repealing the old law, which made it illegal to perform an abortion except when necessary to save the mother’s life.
Mayes said she was grateful to the Court for granting “our motion to stay the mandate in this case for another 90 days.”
“During this period, my office will consider the best legal course of action to take from here, including a potential petition for certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court. Under the relevant court orders, the earliest the 1864 law can take effect is now September 26, 2024, counting the 90 days granted by the Court today plus the 45 days stipulated in the separate Isaacson vs. Arizona case,” said Mayes.
“I continue to believe this case was wrongly decided, and there are issues that merit additional judicial review. I will do everything I can to ensure that doctors can provide medical care for their patients according to their best judgment, not the beliefs of the men elected to the territorial legislature 160 years ago,” concluded Mayes.
“Life is a human right, and Arizona’s pro-life law respects that fundamental right. Life begins at conception. At just six weeks, unborn babies’ hearts begin to beat. At eight weeks, they have fingers and toes. And at 10 weeks, their unique fingerprints begin to form. Arizona’s pro-life law has protected unborn children for over 100 years, and while we are deeply saddened by the legislature’s recent vote to repeal the law, it won’t take effect immediately, as the legislature intentionally decided. And though the court paused its judgment, we will continue working to protect unborn children and promote real support and health care for Arizona families,” said Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Jake Warner regarding the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision.