Aug 17, 2022 - News

Phoenix expected to vote on abortion resolution in September

Illustration of a no-sign in the shape of a red cross over a police badge.

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

The Phoenix City Council will likely vote next month on a resolution that would prohibit city resources from being used to enforce abortion laws.

The latest: Mayor Kate Gallego, council members and the city's legal team are working on the wording of the resolution now, city officials confirmed to Axios Phoenix on Monday.

Why it matters: Arizona's latest abortion law, which will take effect in September, criminalizes doctors who perform abortions after 15 weeks.

  • The Phoenix Police Department is the largest law enforcement agency in the state.

Flashback: On June 24, when SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade, Gallego told Axios she had "no interest in criminalizing health care providers."

  • The city council directed staff to look into how to craft an abortion-related resolution in late June, city attorney Cris Meyer said
  • The resolution aims to make Gallego's position a city policy, the mayor's spokesperson said.

Zoom out: The Tucson City Council passed a resolution in early June — after a draft of the Supreme Court's decision was leaked — to instruct its police department not to arrest people violating state laws restricting abortion, The Arizona Daily Star reported.

Of note: It's unclear whether abortion, at any point in pregnancy, is still legal in Arizona. Most providers are not providing abortions until there is legal clarity.

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