VIEW LARGER Phoenix City Council chambers clear out as community members wait to speak on Aug. 30, 2017. The Phoenix City Council approved an abortion resolution in a 6-2 vote that will deprioritize law enforcement of any criminal ban on abortion. Modeled after a similar resolution passed by the Tucson City Council earlier this year, the decision declares the council’s opposition to national and state restrictions on abortion, shares full support for reproductive health care access and urges state officials to repeal legislation that limits abortion access. Planned Parenthood of Arizona CEO Brittany Fonteno supports the resolution, but emphasizes that this does not stop the risk of jail time for abortion providers.
"Doctors didn't go to medical school to be jailed for providing essential health care to their patients,” said Fonteno. “[Providers] want to be able to provide care and they want to be able to also not live with the stigma that is being perpetuated, in a state where abortion may be legal one day and maybe illegal the next day.”
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