Arizona Attorney General argues for near-total abortion ban

Friday's hearing took place in Pima County Superior Court - FOX 9's Adam Klepp reports

TUCSON, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) - On Friday, representatives for the Arizona State Attorney General’s office argued in court for a near-complete ban on abortions.

As state law is still unclear nearly two months since the U.S. Supreme Court ended federal abortion protections.

The abortion law the Attorney General’s office is arguing for is from 158 years ago, when Arizona was a territory, not a state.

It prevents all abortions except for cases where the woman’s life would be threatened by giving birth.

In this years legislative session, the state government approved an abortion ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The Attorney General says the stricter, territorial law should now take precedent, as the recent 15-week ban was enacted when abortion law still had federal protections.

“This law was intended to regulate and limit abortion within the power the legislature had, there’s nothing in their text that supports the conclusion they were intending to statutorily create a right to abortion,” a lawyer from the Arizona's Attorney General's office argued.

Planned Parenthood argued that because the 15-week ban was enacted by Arizona's current elected representatives, the most recent law best represents the wishes of Arizonans.

“Consider that Arizona's elected representatives have made policy decisions regarding abortions for the last 50 years, including in the last legislative session," a lawyer from Planned Parenthood said.

Judge Kellie L. Johnson said she will make a decision in the case on or after September 19th.