March 26, 2024
Arizona Democrats fighting for access to essential reproductive healthcare amid attacks nationwide
ARIZONA– The United States Supreme Court today began hearing oral arguments regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s allowed dispense and use of mifepristone. Arizona Democratic Party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano and ADLCC Co-Chair Sen. Priya Sundareshan released the following statements:
ADP Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano: “First Republicans pushed to overturn Roe, they then put IVF in jeopardy, and now they are working to take away mifepristone to the many vulnerable Americans who already struggle to access healthcare. This is not what Arizonans want; we are actively working on making Roe protections state law and we have strong Democrats like Governor Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes who have fought to expand access to contraceptives. Donald Trump’s extremist Court and his MAGA puppets will stop at nothing to strip away our abortion rights, and that’s why they will lose in November.”
ADLCC Co-Chair Sen. Priya Sundareshan: “When our leaders on the national level fail us– like they are once again by putting another reproductive rights up for debate– it is up to the people in state legislatures to pick up the pieces. The majority of abortions use mifepristone because it is safe and can help vulnerable people, like rural Arizonans, get the care they need. As the Supreme Court attempts to strip away even more rights from Arizonans, we need to pass the Arizonans for Abortion Access ballot initiative and reach a Democratic majority. Arizona is ready to protect mifepristone, expand access to contraceptives, and protect abortion rights– something Governor Hobbs can only do with a Democratic majority in the legislature.”
How Arizona Democrats are protecting reproductive rights:
- Attorney General Kris Mayes joined 22 other Democratic Attorney Generals to urge the court to preserve access to Mifepristone, emphasizing it’s legitimacy
- Governor Hobbs similarly joined nearly two dozen other Democratic governors in urging the justices to keep the medication’s availability intact, warning that restrictions would result in public health emergencies.
- Governor Hobbs used her executive authority to expand access to reproductive healthcare in Arizona, making over the counter contraception available for Arizonans.
- A trio of bills backed by Governor Hobbs would expand access to reproductive healthcare. One of these bills is House Bill 2678 introduced by Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton and Senate Bill 1362 introduced by Sen. Priya Sundareshan, the Arizona Right to Contraception Act, protects the right to provide or obtain contraceptives.