| Friend, Californians can be a lifeline for pregnant Arizonans denied abortion access since the state recently decided to enforce a ban from the 1800s.(1) SB 233 (Skinner and Aguiar-Curry), an emergency bill championed by Governor Newsom in collaboration with Arizona’s Governor Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes, will authorize Arizona abortion providers to perform abortions in California for the next six months, creating more access for pregnant people in both states to receive the care they desperately need.(2) But, the law still needs to make it through the state legislature. California abortion clinics near the Arizona border have been overwhelmed with patients seeking immediate care.(3) Allowing Arizona doctors to practice in California can alleviate some of the burden and provide desperately needed support for all people seeking abortion care.
In 2021, there were 13,998 abortions performed in Arizona.(4) Assuming comparable need after the ban goes into effect, that means that around 14,000 Arizonans will need to seek abortion care elsewhere, with California as a primary destination. Already in 2023, California doctors performed more than 5,000 abortions for out-of-state patients.(5) For a pregnant person in Phoenix seeking an abortion, the drive to some of the closest clinics around Los Angeles could be up to 6 hours.(6) And while those clinics have been doing everything they can to keep up, the rush of out-of-state need since the Dobbs decision has put huge pressure on these facilities, quadrupling demand in some places.(7) Pregnant Arizonans can’t wait, so we must act now. Governor Newsom and some members of the state legislature are doing everything they can to move this bill forward. An outpouring of support from people around the state will light a fire under all our state legislators, ensuring this law gets passed as quickly as possible. We'll look up the phone number for you and provide a script -- all you have to do is call! Yours in the fight for our rights, –Irene, Annie, Angela, Isidra, Mario, Marvin, Alyssa, Jen, and Lindsay (the Courage team)
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