Democratic Arizona gubernatorial Hobbs vows to protect women, providers following abortion ruling

PHOENIX — Hours after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending almost 50 years of constitutional protections for abortions, Arizona candidate for governor Katie Hobbs vowed to protect women and health care providers if elected in this November’s election.

Numerous providers announced the temporary halt of abortion procedures following an announcement from the state Senate that said a 100-year-old statute that bans abortions is effective immediately.

“I would do everything in my power to repeal this 1901 law,” Hobbs told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “I would veto unabashedly any further restrictions on access to reproductive health care, whether that’s family planning, birth control or further abortion restrictions.”

She added that she would also work to use her “regulatory and enforcement authorities to protect woman and providers.”

Her office filed a ballot initiative and is working to attain signatures, although, with the deadline coming up on July 7 and a high threshold alongside it, Hobbs isn’t sure they’ll make it.

If unsuccessful,  the next chance to try to get abortion rights on the ballot will be in 2024.

“This is a decision that does not need to involve politicians or the government, it is between a woman and her doctor … often times, it can be the hardest decision a woman has to make, and um, I don’t think the government belongs in that,” Hobbs said.

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