Is abortion legal in Arizona? It's complicated. Here are states where you can find care
It is still unclear when Arizona's abortion ban will begin being enforced following Tuesday's state high court ruling upholding a 160-year-old law that prohibits abortions under nearly all circumstances.
Enforcement of the ban could mean the end of legal abortions in Arizona and punishments for doctors who provide them.
The law mandates two to five years in prison for anyone aiding an abortion, except if the procedure is necessary to save the life of the mother. A law from the same era requiring at least a year in prison for a woman seeking an abortion was repealed in 2021.
Around Arizona, most states have little to no restrictions on abortions. Here's a roundup of where the states around Arizona stand on abortion restrictions.
Can you get an abortion in Arizona?
Abortion in Arizona is still legal until 15 weeks of pregnancy, as the ban does not go into effect immediately.
The Arizona Supreme Court stayed enforcement of the abortion ban for 14 days to allow legal challenges that had not yet been heard, including to the constitutionality of the law.
More: Abortion in Arizona set to be illegal in nearly all circumstances, state high court rules
Alliance Defending Freedom, which won the case before the state's top court, said enforcement of the ban could begin in 14 days.
But some opponents of abortion and providers, including Planned Parenthood, said abortion services would continue through May because of a Maricopa County Superior Court order barring enforcement of the ban for 45 days after the Supreme Court's ruling becomes final.
The pre-statehood ban was originally put in place under Arizona law in 1864, but it was repealed following the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade.
When the high court overturned its decision on Roe protections in June 2022 when its Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling came out, conservative activists in Arizona petitioned the courts to remove the injunction against the ban.
More: What does Arizona's 1864 abortion rule state? Read the text of the law
Can you get an abortion in California?
Yes. People in California can legally get an abortion and do not have to provide any reason or medical justification for getting one.
In 2022, California voters approved an amendment to California's Constitution that protects access to abortion and contraception.
The state only limits abortions after the point of viability, which is when a physician determines based on medical judgment that there is a reasonable likelihood the fetus can survive outside the uterus without extraordinary medical measures.
Abortions can only be performed after the point of viability in California if a physician determines based on medical judgment that continuing the pregnancy would pose a risk to the life of the pregnant person.
Can you get an abortion in Nevada?
Abortion in Nevada is legal for up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, which is considered a fetus' point of viability.
An abortion may be performed after 24 weeks when the physician has reasonable cause to believe an abortion is necessary to preserve the life or health of the pregnant person.
Medication abortion is also legal for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy.
People seeking an abortion do not have to be Nevada residents to receive the procedure in the state.
Can you get an abortion in Utah?
Utah bans abortions after 18 weeks of pregnancy. Before that point, it is legal.
A state law that completely banned abortion in Utah came out on June 24, 2022, but the law has not gone into effect as it is being challenged in court.
Can you get an abortion in New Mexico?
Yes, procedural abortion is legal in New Mexico throughout pregnancy, according to the state Department of Health. There are no limits or restrictions on abortions in the state.
Medication abortions are also available up to 11 weeks of pregnancy, which is from the first day of the pregnant person's last period.
Can you get an abortion in Colorado?
Yes. Pregnant people in Colorado can choose whether they want to continue a pregnancy or have an abortion, with no restrictions or limits based on the stage of pregnancy.
Medication abortions are legal for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy and people seeking an abortion in Colorado do not have to be state residents to receive one.
In Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada, people under 18 seeking an abortion must have consent from their parents or guardians.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Where are abortions legal? What Arizonans should know
