Last week, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and leading Democrats from the Arizona State Legislature, in partial response to inaction at the State Legislature and the Alabama State Supreme Court decision restricting In Vitro Fertilization, held a press event at the Capitol calling for Legislators to pass a law, the Right to Contraception Act, first proposed by the Governor eight months ago, that would protect access to birth control, including Plan B, and codify the right for physicians to prescribe contraceptives and give information about them to patients.
At the event, the Governor stated:
“As we are gathered here today, millions of women across the country are worried about what fundamental right will be taken away from them next.”
Citing the Dobb’s Decision at the United States Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade and the Alabama State Supreme Court decision restricting In Vitro Fertilization (IVF,) the Governor went on to say:
“Since the fall of Roe, extremists in this state have made it they won’t just stop at restricting access to abortion. Just last session, House Bill 2427, a dangerous extreme bill that would have threatened access to IVF made its way to my desk. With my veto, I sent a clear message that I will protect reproductive freedoms in this state…The fact that it landed on my desk shows the clear and urgent need to take action now to protect reproductive freedoms. That’s why today, I am again calling on members of the legislature to do the right thing and pass The Right to Contraception Act. This is a common sense step we must take to protect access to this critical reproductive healthcare tool. Empowering women to make their own healthcare decisions isn’t just good for families. It’s good for our entire state…They’re (women) scared contraception is the next thing on the chopping block…Arizonans of every party support this bill. It is not a partisan issue and yet this legislation has not even received a hearing…This basic common sense proposal hasn’t made it past step one...What do they (the Republican legislative majority) have against allowing us to have control over our own bodies and access to basic healthcare...I urge you (Republican legislators) to hear stories from real women whose lives have been turned upside down because their basic freedoms have been taken away. I urge you to think of your mothers, daughters, sisters, and neighbors who deserve to have control over their own body…”
Later on social media, the Governor and her team posted on social media:
Legislative District (LD) 18 State Senator Priya Sundareshan, who with LD 21 State Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton introduced the House (HB2678) and Senate (SB1362) Versions of The Right to Contraception Act, followed the Governor and echoed many of her sentiments, offering from the experience of being a mother of two young children:
“I can speak from experience to talk about what it is like to have a young family and it is thanks to contraception that I was able to have my family right here in Arizona where I was born and raised after I pursued my education and pursued my career gaining important legal and advocacy experience in DC and continued to come home to Arizona to pursue my career and have my family when I was ready to.”
“Arizonans continue to see their reproductive freedoms under siege though as attacks creep forward across the country…To the extremist candidates running on the promise to block all access to contraception and the ban on all abortions. Republicans in our own state legislature were too afraid to even give our own bill, the Right to Contraception Act, a hearing for fear of the backlash from their fringe and out of touch base. The future though, for our children and their ability to make their own health care decisions is in danger…Democrats unequivocally support safeguarding the right to contraception, reflecting our deep commitment to your personal autonomy and your right to privacy. We are dedicated to ensuring that those choices stay between you and your healthcare provider with no interference from the alt-right fanatics…We will not back down from defending every Arizonans right to choose what is best for their own families…The Right to Contraception Act isn’t just a Democratic value. It’s an American value with broad support from all sides…It’s high time for all Arizonans and Americans to ask frankly ask ourselves, why is the Republican Party unwilling to do the same (consider and pass the Right to Contraception Act.)”
Later, the Arizona Senate Democrats posted Sundareshan and Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton speaking with the media after the event with the State Senator repeating her assertion that the Right to Contraception Act has bipartisan support throughout the Grand Canyon State and Legislative Republicans are “too afraid” to bring it to a hearing for consideration.
LD 21 State Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton followed State Senator Sundareshan and relayed many of the same themes stated before her. Citing the Alabama State Supreme Court Decision regarding In Vitro Fertilization, Representative Stahl Hamilton commented that:
“This invasion of government interference illustrates the importance of making laws to protect a person’s right to choose when and how they begin their families. For years in Arizona, there has been a steady stream of laws passed that add barriers to limit our freedoms and rights when it comes to reproductive care…Each person that is able to become pregnant should have the certainty and assurances that they control their decision to be pregnant. Our bodies do not belong to the government. Because there is no federal law protecting the right to contraception, it can be taken away...As a mother of three children, I want them to have he freedom to choose how they step through their futures. Having access to contraception allows them to choose when they begin their families…It is not anyone else’s business to make that decision for them. Reproductive freedom is not an option. It is a right. It is health care and reproductive freedom provides people in the state of Arizona and across the country the ability to control their future and how and when they choose to create their families…I would encourage all of you to pick up that phone, call your lawmakers, and ask and demand that these bills get a hearing…”
Election Denier MAGA Republican State Senator Sonny Borrelli Makes Hobbs and the Democrats Case for Them.
Sonny Borrelli, currently the number two Senator in the Republican State Senate, who is running to become a member of the Mohave Board of Supervisors (where he can perhaps have more sway in advancing his ideas on how to suppress the vote and run elections the MAGA way,) single handily made Governor Hobbs and the Democrats case on the need to pass the Right to Contraception Act (as well as the need for a Democratically run State Legislature) when responding to questions on the subject by AZ Mirror’s Gloria Rebecca Gomez following the press event.
Saying there was no need for legislation to protect contraceptive rights because no one in the Republican led legislature is considering taking access to them away, Senator Borrelli made the quite grotesque comment:
“Like I said, Bayer Company invented aspirin. Put it between your knees.”
The message, according to Gomez’s interpretation of Borrelli’s comment was “if women hold aspirin between their legs, they won’t be able to have sex and risk pregnancy.”
As Laurie Roberts wrote in the opening sentence on her editorial piece on this subject: “Welcome to the 1950’s.”
State Senator Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (ADLCC) Co-Chair Sundareshan and Arizona Democratic Party Chair Yolanda Bejarano quickly pounced on the Borrelli remarks in a joint statement.
Senator Sundareshan offered:
“A comment like this from the Arizona Senate Majority Leader is indicative of just how far extreme Republicans have taken us and how little the GOP values women in this state. There are consequences when our elected officials are this extreme. As long as Arizona Republicans are in power, our reproductive freedoms are deeply threatened. For the sake of our families’ futures, we must elect Democrats who will protect our most basic freedoms.”
Chairperson Bejarano wrote:
“This is how little MAGA-Republicans care about the issues facing everyday Arizona families. Instead of finding real solutions to real problems, Republicans have chosen to belittle, marginalize and humiliate Arizonans. Let this be a reminder to every voter– Democrats like Katie Hobbs are fighting for our rights while Republicans like Borelli hold our state back. We will work together to make sure Borelli and Arizona far-right Republicans lose in November.”
As long as people like Senator Borrelli have influence over policy in Arizona, reproductive freedom is in jeopardy. Voters need to remember and consider that when deciding who they want to helm in the next legislative session in 2025.
That’s the genius of the self proclaimed Italian Stallion.
Despicable and Unfit to be in power of anything or anyone.
How about if the good senator just drives a nail through his d**k to prevent unwanted pregnancy. I can assure him, no child wants to be his kid. I was under the impression this was 2024, not 1924. Where does AZ find such morons?
Now hang on, Nunna, how does driving a nail in MY dick do anything to CONTROL the woman?
Don’t lose the plot!
I mean, not all of us can just rely on our looks for birth control like Mr. Borreli.
Oops, with a quick web search I see that Mr. Borelli has a history of domestic violence, multiple times, going back years, involving bloody wives and hospitals and cops.
I guess the GQP, a party led by convicted rapist Donald J. Trump, isn’t sending us their best…
From noshetwitnt on Threads:
“Maybe if we start calling our body parts gun-sounding names like “revulva” or “shooterus” the GOP will stop trying to regulate them.”
Apparently “good ole Sonny” has been gulping from the Foster Friess trough.
This state senate seat was held by Ron Gould, so obnoxious, even his own Republican party took his committee away from him. Then the ever insane Kelli (Comtrails) Ward held the seat, folllowed by the crazed Italian Stallion. Paper Ballots Gould, now a county supervisor and term limited Aspirin Borrelli wants to be the second county supervisor from Lake Havasu City. And this same bunch that got the Rogue Cop, John Gillette, in the Arizona House. (Google him) Pray for poor Mohave County. So many crazies, so few gov’ment jobs.