(PatriotWise.com) — California Governor Gavin Newsom last week signed legislation to allow doctors licensed in Arizona to temporarily perform abortions on their Arizona patients in California.
The law is aimed at giving Arizona residents the option over the next several months to receive legal abortions from their doctors in the face of a recent ruling by the state Supreme Court to reinstate Arizona’s 1864 ban on all abortions except to save the mother’s life.
The Arizona Supreme Court approved an injunction delaying enforcement of the abortion ban until September 26. The 1864 ban could be further delayed by another 45 days due to an injunction in a separate case.
The Arizona legislature voted to repeal the 1864 ban, which Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs promptly signed off on.
Since the repeal does not take effect for 90 days after the current legislative session ends, California Democratic lawmakers wanted to ensure that Arizona residents seeking an abortion had the option to receive an abortion from their doctors until the end of November.
Under current Arizona law, abortions are legal during the first 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Doctors licensed in the state who wish to perform abortions in California would be required to fill out an application. However, under the law signed last week, Arizona doctors who meet the requirements would have their applications approved within five business days.
In signing the bill into law, the California governor vowed that the state was prepared “to protect reproductive freedom.” Newsom has vowed to make California a “sanctuary” state for out-of-state women seeking an abortion.
The Democrat-led state has passed dozens of abortion measures, including using $20 million from California taxpayers to pay out-of-state residents to come to California for an abortion.
While the new law does not use taxpayer money to pay for the travel of Arizona women seeking an abortion in California, Newsom partnered with the group Red Wine and Blue to raise funds to help cover travel expenses.
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