Arizona governor signs bill blocking abortions based on genetic issues

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) on Tuesday signed into law sprawling anti-abortion legislation that bans the procedure if a mother is seeking to terminate a pregnancy due to a genetic abnormality in a fetus.

The law also stipulates that a doctor who performs an abortion that is being conducted solely for that reason can face felony charges. It also bans mail delivery of abortion-inducing medication, permits the father or maternal grandparents of a fetus aborted due to a genetic issue to file a lawsuit, and prohibits any state money from going toward organizations that provide abortion care. 

“There’s immeasurable value in every single life — regardless of genetic makeup,” Ducey said in a statement. “We will continue to prioritize protecting life in our preborn children, and this legislation goes a long way in protecting real human lives. My sincere thanks to Senator Nancy Barto for her leadership and work on this life-saving issue.”

Republicans successfully muscled the legislation through both chambers of the legislature on party-line votes, with no Democrats crossing the aisle to back it.

The new law is the latest signed in a Republican-held state amid a push by anti-abortion activists.

Several of the laws seek to ban abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which could occur before a mother knows she is pregnant.

Despite a string of court defeats dismissing the legislation, abortion opponents have pushed forward with comparable laws in part to spark a legal battle they hope could wind up in the Supreme Court, which they are pushing to overturn Roe v. Wade, the decision that legalized abortion across the U.S. 

Arizona Democrats lambasted the law in a rebuttal, saying it presents “egregious Constitutional issues.”

“The bill is an expansive and intrusive step toward criminalizing, restricting, and regulating women, doctors, universities and public institutions,” wrote state Sen. Kirsten Engel (D) and state Rep. Melody Hernandez (D).