Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed emergency legislation that would allow Arizona abortion providers to treat patients in California. The move comes in response to Arizona’s impending reinstatement of a near-total abortion ban based on a law dating back to 1864 before Arizona was even a state.
Newsom made the announcement on MSNBC over the weekend, expressing concern about the impact of the Arizona ban on patients seeking reproductive healthcare. He emphasized the importance of protecting access to essential medical services, including abortion.
The bill, which will be introduced this week through the California Legislature’s women’s caucus, aims to provide a streamlined process for Arizona providers to obtain licenses to practice in California. This would ensure that patients from Arizona have access to safe and legal abortion care in a neighboring state.
Newsom’s proposal has drawn mixed reactions. Some have praised the move as a necessary step to protect reproductive rights, while others have criticized it as an attempt to circumvent Arizona’s laws.
