PHOENIX — Nearly a year after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn the previous Roe v. Wade decision and ended the nationwide right to abortion, a new push to secure birth control access for all Arizonans is kicking off.
Gov. Katie Hobbs is expected to announce the "Arizona Right to Contraception Act" at a press conference on Thursday with State Representative Athena Salman.
"The Act will codify access to birth control for all Arizonans as the Supreme Court and legislators across the country threaten basic reproductive freedoms," a news release from Hobbs' office said.
Access to the most common method of abortion in the U.S., a drug called mifepristone, was preserved by the court in April while a lawsuit continues.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill for now
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Democrats say the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade opened the door for states to pass laws that restrict access to contraceptives. Some U.S. senators have recently reintroduced legislation that would strengthen the legal right to contraceptives on a federal level.
With Republicans holding a slim majority in the Arizona Legislature, any bill introduced by Democrats will likely have a tough time getting passed.
Salman said Thursday they intend to pass the legislation. But if it fails to advance, Salman said voters should know where Republicans stand on the issue.
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