The Arizona state Senate Public Safety and Human Services Committee recommended that the full Senate pass two anti-choice bills Wednesday. The bill would allow pharmacists to refuse to honor prescriptions for emergency contraceptives due to moral objections. It also would require minors to receive notarized parental consent prior to an abortion, a 24-hour waiting period prior to an abortion, and specifies that women must be briefed on assistance available if they decide against an abortion.
Currently, there are five anti-choice bills under consideration in the Arizona legislature. Of these, this bill is considered one of the most restrictive.Bryan Howard, president of Planned Parenthood Arizona, told the Arizona Republic that the bill could cause women to “have to travel farther, take more time off work and spend more on child care to get abortions. The cost to Arizona women will be more than $1.5 million a year in addition to the cost of the procedure.” Supporters of the legislation claim the restrictions are intended to ensure women are informed prior to an abortion.
The second bill recommended by the committee would expand the penalties for performing so called “partial birth” abortions to include a fine or two-year prison sentence.
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is anti-choice. She replaced current Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who vetoed several pieces of anti-choice legislation while Arizona Governor.
