In an official press release from her office, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs reported her signing an Executive Order for Protective Freedom and Health Care.
This action, taken almost a year after the Supreme Court Decision overturning Roe v Wade, would, according to the order and press release summary:
- “Centralizing Authority over Abortion-Related Prosecutions: Governor Hobbs is using her executive authority to direct Attorney General Kris Mayes to assume all duties over abortion-related prosecutions.
- Restrictions on Investigative Assistance: Governor Hobbs is using her authority to direct state agencies not to assist in any investigations relating to providing, assisting, seeking, or obtaining reproductive healthcare that would not be punishable under Arizona law unless required by a court order or Arizona or federal law.
- Restrictions on Extraditions: Governor Hobbs is using her executive discretion to decline extradition requests from other states seeking to prosecute individuals who provide, assist with, seek, or receive abortion services that wouldn’t otherwise be punishable under Arizona law.
- Advisory Council on Protecting Reproductive Freedom: Governor Hobbs establishes a Council to make recommendations that expand access to sexual and reproductive healthcare in Arizona.”
Yesterday, the Governor, along with Legislative District (LD) Eight Arizona State House Representative Athena Salman, spoke about introducing legislation called the Right to Contraception Act.
After that event, the Governor posted on social media:
Representative Salman posted:
In her official press release announcing today’s Executive Order protecting Reproductive Freedom, the Governor stated:
“I made a promise to Arizonans that I would do everything in my power to protect reproductive freedom, and this Executive Order reflects that promise. I will not allow extreme and out-of-touch politicians to get in the way of the fundamental right Arizonans have to make decisions about their own bodies and futures. I will continue to fight to expand access to safe and legal abortion in any way that I can.”
The Governor also posted on social media:
Attorney General Kris Mayes, whose office, per the Executive Order, has gained new centralized authority in this area, is also quoted in the press release where she relayed:
“In the year since the Dobbs decision, we have seen that anti-abortion extremists will stop at nothing in their attempts to impose their radical beliefs on the rest of the country. Governor Hobbs’ Executive Order provides important protections in Arizona on this issue — and it underscores our shared commitment to proactively defend the fundamental rights of individuals and ensure access to reproductive healthcare in Arizona. Together, we will continue to do what the voters of Arizona elected us to do — fight like hell to protect the rights of Arizonans to make their own private medical decisions without interference from extremist politicians and anti-choice groups.”
Attorney General Mayes also posted:
In the same release, Pima County Attorney Laura Conover offered:
“Every Arizonan should have access to basic reproductive freedoms, no matter their county. As the Pima County Attorney, I’ve proudly defended access to abortions, and so have other elected leaders in my county. That is sadly not the case in all other counties. We are in a key historical moment and I applaud the Governor’s intention to ensure equal protection and access to critical health services across the State.”
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Congratulations to our Governor. There will be the usual whining from fanatical anti-women’s rights criminals. But ignore them. Women are full persons, not forced reproduction vessels.