New California laws to impact Arizona women seeking abortions

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — The heated debate over abortion varies from state to state. Arizona is one of 13 states that currently bans most abortions. But right next door in California, an effort is underway to help women in states that restrict abortion-related services. California just passed more than a dozen new abortion laws designed to protect patients and providers.

Some of the new laws will:

• Prohibit law enforcement there from cooperating with other state entities when it comes to abortion
• Punish health care providers from releasing information on women seeking abortions
• Block out-of-state subpoenas dealing with an abortion.

Brittany Fonteno is the president of Planned Parenthood Arizona. “We are thrilled to see our neighboring state, California, has taken this bold step to expand access to abortion at a time when so many other states, including Arizona, are taking steps backwards and taking away the fundamental right to an abortion,” said Fonteno.

In some states where abortion is illegal, people are allowed to sue anyone who performs or aids in an abortion, a direct conflict with the new laws in California. So which law takes precedent? Arizona’s Family reached out to Phoenix attorney Marlene Pontrelli for some answers.

She said the conflicting state laws on abortion are similar to what we saw years ago before the U.S Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. States have their own laws. “What is happening now in California is really not that different from what we have seen historically,” said Pontrelli. “States have always had the right to inact laws that they feel are in the best interest of their citizens, or individuals who come into their state.”

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