Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Thursday allowing Arizona doctors to become temporarily licensed in California to perform abortions should their state’s near-total ban on the procedure ever take effect.
California Senate Bill 233 passed the state legislature on May 23 in response to a recent Arizona Supreme Court ruling effectively banning abortion in the state. The Arizona ruling went into effect on April 9, but was quickly overturned by the state legislature.
The bill details that Arizona doctors will be allowed to practice through Nov. 30, 2024.
“Now through November 30, 2024, Arizona doctors will be able to provide abortions and abortion-related care for Arizona patients in California if the absolute ban takes effect – even temporarily – and to facilitate continued access to care when Arizona’s 15-week ban goes into effect,” Newsom said in a press release.
State restrictions on abortion emerged following the 2022 landmark Supreme Court decision, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned the 1992 ruling of Planned Parenthood v. Casey and the 1973 ruling of Roe v. Wade. The Dobbs decision ruled that abortion is not a constitutionally protected “right,” and deferred legislative authority to the states.
Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes of Arizona said she will not be enforcing Arizona’s abortion restriction.
“My office continues to explore all legal options available to prevent the 1864 near-total abortion ban from taking effect,” Mayes said in a letter to hospitals and medical providers.
Abortion issues poll favorably among registered Democrat voters, which is the majority of California’s voting bloc.
As of 2023, 46.9% of California voters are registered Democrats, while only 23.8% were registered Republicans, according to findings from Public Policy Institute of California.
A 2023 Gallup survey found that 60% of Democrats support abortion being legal under any circumstance, while 34% of Democrats said it should be legal under some. Further, 84% of Democrats self-identify as pro-choice according to the same poll.
One in eight voters say abortion is the most important issue to them going into 2024, according to a recent poll. Voters who prioritize the abortion issue are disproportionately younger, Democratic leaning, and want abortion to be legal in all cases, including up until birth.
