Since the Supreme Court ruled the abortion laws in Texas unconstitutional on Monday, that means more abortion providers could be on the way for women here in Arizona.
Arizona has "Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers" known as "TRAP Laws," and several parts of these laws were declared unconstitutional with the ruling handed down by the court in a 5-3 majority.
These are the clinic requirements that were found to be an "undue burden" to abortion access for women in the Texas case.
Abortion clinics like Planned Parenthood had to operate like surgical centers, which means they were held to stricter operational guidelines than an outpatient clinic. Now, these are no longer requirements.
Doctors must have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. This caused many clinics to close in the past because they were not in close proximity to a nearby hospital. Now that this is no longer a requirement, more abortion providers could open around Arizona and in tucson giving women more options.
Anti-abortion activists argued the regulations were about safety, and that women should not have these procedures done without a hospital within reach. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the dissenting argument. He said the decision takes away authority from states when it comes to abortion laws.
Currently in tucson, there are two Planned Parenthood clinics, and nine more across our entire state. There are no Planned Parenthood clinics in Prescott or Yuma, but this ruling could give that clinic as well as others the option to open up services for women in those cities and especially the more rural areas around them.
