Arizona Governor Hobbs Takes Action to Protect Abortion Rights and Providers

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed an executive order aimed at preventing the criminalization of abortion in her state. The order bans the extradition of individuals involved in abortion-related cases in other states, bars Arizona’s state agencies from being involved in abortion-related investigations, and establishes an advisory council to make recommendations for expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care. The order effectively bars Arizona’s county attorneys from prosecuting abortion-related crimes by redirecting criminal prosecution duties for all pending and future abortion-related cases to the state’s attorney general. Republicans in the state legislature are pushing back on the order and questioning its legality.