Does Arizona have one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the US?
Arizona is among 13 states with the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research and policy organization. A near-total ban on abortion crafted during Arizona’s territorial days has been enforceable since Sept. 23, 2022. It criminalizes virtually all abortions, including those involving pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, except in cases where the mother’s life is in danger. Abortion providers who defy the law face up to five years in prison. The pre-statehood ban conflicts with another law recently enacted by the Arizona Legislature, which prohibits abortions after 15 weeks. Lawsuits seeking clarity over which should take precedence are ongoing. Nonetheless, limits on abortion in Arizona remain some of the strictest in the nation.