Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes confirmed on Tuesday her office will not enforce the 19th-century abortion law recently upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court until at least June.
Mayes said in a video posted to the attorney general’s account on X clarifying that the law is slated to go into effect on June 8. Calling the ruling “outrageous,” Mayes also confirmed she is “working on a plan to fight back” against the abortion ban.
“As of today, absent any additional litigation or action by the legislature, the earliest date this law could take effect is June 8, 2024.” Mayes explained, “While we are still analzying the best legal options to take, rest assured, I will do everything in my power to stop this law from ever taking effect.”
The attorney general also revealed she is in talks with California Attorney General Rob Banta to obtain “emergency licenses” that would allow Arizona abortion providers to continue their work in California or other states.
Update: The earliest the outrageous 1864 near-total abortion ban could take effect is June 8. In the meantime, my office is analyzing a legal strategy to fight back and planning for what will happen if we are unsuccessful. Lives are on the line here. pic.twitter.com/CCHEqKoMTx
— AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes (@AZAGMayes) April 16, 2024
Mayes also called on the Arizona State Legislature to repeal the legislation, but on Wednesday, the effort to repeal the law within the Arizona House of Representatives stalled, with the effort to hear the legislation to repeal the law failing.
The attorney general’s use of her official social media account to promise “a plan to fight back” against the abortion ban comes despite Arizona House Republicans previously challenging Mayes for refusing to defend the state’s laws.
“We are deeply concerned about your refusal to defend the constitutionality of state laws,” wrote Representatives Jacqueline Parker (R-Mesa) and Austin Smith (R-Surprise) in their April 12 letter to Mayes.
They noted, “Even before you took office, you publicly stated that Arizona’s law protecting unborn children from discriminatory abortions based on the child’s genetic abnormality, such as Down Syndrome, is ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘violate[s] Arizona’s privacy clause.’ Of course, no court has ever said so.”
Also, they asserted, “Your actions constitute a complete dereliction of your duty to defend state laws.”
The letter followed a previous warning by Parker and Smith that the representatives are investigating her alleged use of state resources to campaign at groundwater themed community events they allege represent attacks against Arizona’s farmers and ranchers.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Kris Mayes” by Kris Mayes.
