Journalists’ Roundtable: Governor Ducey Signs Abortion Bill

On Arizona Horizon, it’s the Journalists’ Roundtable. We’ll look at the week’s top stories. Joining us tonight are Howie Fischer of Capitol Media Services, Mary Jo Pitzl of Capitol Media Services, and Stacey Barchenger also of the Arizona Republic.

This weeks topics: 

• Ducey Signs Abortion Bill
• Ducey Signs Transgender Bills
• Ducey Ends Covid Emergency Declaration
• Brnovich Calls for Hobbs Investigation
• Bennett Announces State Senate Run
• School Funding Overhaul
• Repeal and Replace

This abortion bill bans abortions at 15 weeks, no exceptions for rape or incest.

Fischer: “No exceptions at all, this is modeled after the Mississippi law, waiting on the U.S. Supreme Court to decide. The idea is if the Supreme Court upholds Mississippi law or overturn Roe entirely we have got something on the books to go. We have pushed the Governor on the idea of why no exceptions for rape or incest, he has previously said that he believes there should be exceptions for rape or incest. His argument was: well that’s if it were outlawed entirely, because of the fact that women can get abortions up through the fifteenth week he said that’s fine and that he was ok with it.”

Now we wait for the Supreme Court?

Pitzl: “I suspect there will be maybe a lawsuit or two while we are sitting around waiting for the court. You know what their opinions will be, out by the end of June. So a couple of months away.”

Did he pretty much sign it and move on?

Barchenger: “It was pretty much let’s sign it and move on. The Governor and his 7.5 years has signed every abortion measure that has made it to his desk. They of course have all been abortion restrictions, because of the political makeup and the legislature. This is something that he welcomed, he has said in the past that he think the Supreme Court is wrong in Roe. versus Wade.”