08/12/11 – COREREPORT.COM – AZ , Center for Arizona Policy: Victory for Life Advocates: Arizona Court of Appeals Upholds Abortion Consent Act. The Arizona Court of Appeals today upheld the Abortion Consent Act. This law, signed by Governor Jan Brewer in 2009, was enjoined by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Daughton following a Planned Parenthood lawsuit.
Today’s 3-0 opinion vacates the injunction in its entirety.
Center for Arizona Policy (CAP) drafted the Abortion Consent Act and is a part of the legal team defending the constitutionality of the law. The team is led by the Arizona Attorney General, Arizona House Speaker, and Alliance Defense Fund and also includes Bioethics Defense Fund and Life Legal Defense Foundation.
Key provisions that will be enacted include:
- The state will require a notarized parental signature before an abortion can be performed on a minor child.
- Women will be provided with full and accurate information by a doctor in person at least 24 hours before an abortion.
- Medical professionals cannot be forced to perform abortions if it contradicts their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs.
- Non-doctors will not be permitted by law to perform surgical abortions.
“The Court acknowledged the Legislature’s right to pass legislation to protect the health and safety of women considering abortion,” said Deborah Sheasby, Center for Arizona Policy’s Legal Counsel. “This is a major victory for Arizona women.”
“If Planned Parenthood truly cared about what’s best for women, they wouldn’t be repeatedly going to court around the nation to stop laws that allow women to make fully informed choices,” said ADF Senior Counsel Steven H. Aden, who argued before the Court of Appeals on June 14. “The court ruled rightly in this case in rejecting the arguments of the nation’s largest purveyor of abortion. The protection of women is not unconstitutional.”
For more information on the Abortion Consent Act visit CAP’s information page: http://bit.ly/qDCDpv
To read the decision from the Court of Appeals click here: http://bit.ly/r2m5QU
Posted by Cathi Herrod
Cathi is President of Center for Arizona Policy. As a mom, lawyer and lifelong political junkie, Cathi’s passion for the foundational values of life, marriage and family, and religious liberty stem from seeing how the culture impacts families, and how much public policy influences the culture.
Tags: Abortion Consent Act, Alliance Defense Fund, Center for Arizona Policy, pro-life
