US

Planned Parenthood to End Abortions in Three Arizona Cities

Planned Parenthood to Stop Abortions in Three Arizona Cities

Bryan Howard, CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (The Blaze/AP) — Planned Parenthood is ending abortion services in three Arizona cities to comply with recent state laws that placed restrictions on abortions, the organization announced Thursday.

This move comes as abortion restrictions become more common in states across America. In fact, The Blaze reported back in July that, on the whole, states implemented a record number of laws related to reproductive rights in the first six months of 2011. Arizona is following suite.

Starting Friday, women will no longer be able to terminate their pregnancies at the Planned Parenthood clinics in Prescott Valley, Flagstaff and Yuma that offered abortion through medication. Women can still receive surgical and medication abortions in the Tucson and Phoenix areas, but those services will cease at some suburban locations.

“I think we’ve really done women a disservice in all parts of the state by imposing rules that have no medical significance and just creating barriers,” said Bryan Howard, president of Planned Parenthood of Arizona.

The move came a week after an Arizona a state appeals court allowed key parts of a 2009 state law restricting abortions to take effect. That includes a requirement that women see a doctor in person the day before getting an abortion to hear about risks and alternatives, and allowing health care workers to refuse to participate in abortions for moral or religious reasons.

The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled the provisions constitutional and said they do not put an undue burden on women seeking to end their pregnancies, echoing the statements of anti-abortion advocates.

Planned Parenthood to Stop Abortions in Three Arizona CitiesHoward said the group likely will appeal the ruling to the Arizona Supreme Court but believed it was broad enough to impact a separate challenge over 2011 laws regarding abortion.

Planned Parenthood withdrew a request for a preliminary injunction in that case ahead of a Sept. 12 hearing, Howard said.

But Howard said he was unclear whether provisions of the 2011 law that prohibit nurse practitioners from performing medication abortions would go into effect immediately but decided to scale back abortion services anyway. Flagstaff, for example, has only a nurse practitioner who performs abortions.

Dave Cole, solicitor general for the state attorney general’s office, said it would defer to the judge in the case on when the laws are enacted.

The news that the Flagstaff clinic would end its abortion services came as a disappointment to Lisa Rayner, who traveled to Phoenix from Flagstaff in 1999 for a surgical procedure to end her pregnancy. Rayner underwent the procedure at the advice of her gynecologist, who told her uterine fibroids would make for a high-risk delivery.

Rayner said she is now concerned that low-income women who can’t take off time for work and teenagers afraid to tell their parents they are pregnant now might resort to unsafe abortions.

“It just adds more stress to what is already a stressful experience,” said Rayner, who turns 45 on Friday.

More than half of U.S. states require waiting periods for abortions – typically 24 hours, while a larger number require some type of counseling beforehand, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In Kansas, two abortion providers are challenging new regulations for hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices performing five or more elective abortions a month. A North Dakota law, also being challenged, would prevent the state’s only abortion clinic from performing medication abortions. Funding for Planned Parenthood is also under attack in some states.

Catherine Welker, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of America, said the organization has had to discontinue services, sometimes just temporarily, while it fights the restrictions imposed by states.

“We find that all over the country where some state laws are more strict than others, people are willing to travel to get the services they need,” said. “But there are also plenty of women who do not have access to travel and do not get the services they need.”

Preventative care will be more important than ever in Arizona now that women, particularly in the northern part of the state, will have to drive farther to reach abortion clinics if that’s what they choose, Howard said.

Comments (62)

1 2
  • Kaoscontrol
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:57pm

    “All black and illigal babies should be aborted automatically and the mothers automatically sterilized”???
    You sound like Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood. She was a racist progressive just like you Trooper Pooper!

    Report Post » Kaoscontrol  
  • Creativethinker
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:55pm

    I’d like to know the other states that are doing this also

    Report Post »  
  • jdog777
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:45pm

    half way there AZ…. shut this place down.

    Report Post »  
  • Glenn is Right
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:41pm

    Great, now there will be more people on wellfare, SSI, and SNAP.

    How much longer do you expect us to afford this?

    Report Post » Glenn is Right  
    • Homeschoolmama
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 9:24pm

      Or fewer people having unprotected sex, since they know the consequences won’t be as easy as getting the baby sucked out and thrown in the trash.

      Report Post »  
  • amagi2113
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:38pm

    It’s not a CHOICE, its a CHILD……… they have the right to life as well.

    Report Post »  
  • leftcoastslut
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:32pm

    if they, the under priviledged and the young girls have time to lie with a man, knowing they don’t want a child and knowing that they are not protected against pregnancy they will have time to drive to phoenix or tuson.

    question is do you hand out fish or do you teach them how to fish. everyone needs to be responsible for their own actions or lack of actions

    Report Post »  
  • Doc_Slammin
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:27pm

    The Health and Human Services Secretary says that “no abortions are performed with tax payer money”. Barack Obama signed an executive order prohibiting tax money to be used for abortions.

    Does anyone else see the conflict of interest in the federal government giving tax money to an entity that performs a service that the federal government claims is not funded by tax payer dollars?

    I’m just saying…

    Report Post » Doc_Slammin  
  • lcovar
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:18pm

    “Rayner said she is now concerned that low-income women who can’t take off time for work and teenagers afraid to tell their parents they are pregnant now might resort to unsafe abortions.”
    Maybe these women should learn how to be responsible when they have sex.
    I have a free lesson for them.
    “if you don’t want to get pregnant, DON’T HAVE SEX.”

    Report Post »  
  • Doc_Slammin
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:10pm

    You are sick. Go to a psychiatrist and get yourself some help.

    Report Post » Doc_Slammin  
  • JQCitizen
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:04pm

    Terrible thing to say. Those babies are innocent bystanders, capable of self-determination. No one should be considered “locked in” to anyone else’s mind-set or lifestyle.

    Report Post »  
    • ashestoashes
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 12:41am

      @JQXITIZEN What did Trooper say? that those women should be sterilized? Is that the same as abortion? Maybe he should have just said welfare recipients. Do you really think it cool for women to sit at home all day popping out kids and living off the taxpayer dollar? I don’t. I understand that there are people getting up to $140,000 year in Chicago for doing nothing more than that. Respnonsibility and accountability should come with having kids.I have personally seen non -illegals popping out kids, getting money from welfare and teaching all of their children to be theives..and druggies. It’s just a welfare cycle. what do we get from that?…more liberals?

      Report Post »  
  • abbygirl1994
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:02pm

    All it takes is birth control or being abstinence. It is so much cheaper to teach and learn. The only reason for abortion should be the endangerment of the life of the mother or child.. If people would just teach their children to wait to have sex until they are married it would make the world a much better place.. You can say what about rape victims.. granted it is a child of violence, but since when is it the babies fault. He cannot help how he was conceived..

    Report Post » abbygirl1994  
    • getalong
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:53pm

      I agree.

      Report Post »  
    • Homeschoolmama
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 9:32pm

      If your are raped… got to your local pharmacy within 36 hours, ask for the morning after pill, and take it. It works exactly the same as some birth control pills by not letting the egg implant into the uterine wall. This process often happens naturally as well and so is not abortion. You could also ask for the morning after pill while you are at the hospital getting the exam used to collect evidence that will be used to put your attacker in prison and stop him from hurting others.

      Report Post »  
  • abbygirl1994
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:57pm

    Thats a terrible thing to say, as there are many good black people, who have raised their children who are honorable citizens.. really are you a plant just to make The Blaze look bad.. there are bad in all races!!

    Report Post » abbygirl1994  
  • Lone Ranger
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:50pm

    We had to shoot a lot of democrats to end slavery. We had to throw a lot of democrats in prison to end segregation, crush the Klan and end lynching. I guess we’ll have to go through the courts to end abortion. As history proves, you can‘t change a democrat’s heart.

    Report Post » Lone Ranger  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:37pm

    Of course they are. They want all the Illegal Immigrants to “have” their babies so the State’s population of illegals will grow.

    Report Post » The-Monk  
    • Homeschoolmama
      Posted on August 20, 2011 at 9:35pm

      This is the same state that is trying deport illegals against the federal governments wishes and is trying to stop them from receiving programs for citizens like education and welfare.

      Report Post »  
  • Banter
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:36pm

    This reminds me of the Old Testament where kings would come and go at a rapid rate, some doing God’s will, most doing evil The OT Israelites never imagined the hell coming their way when they asked for a king.

    It’s great that these cities will stop this madness, but the determined will just travel a bit farther to have this done.

    Report Post » Banter  
  • TumbleBumble
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:33pm

    Celebrating babies!! What a wonderful victory for life! May it spread.

    Report Post » TumbleBumble  
  • Chialms
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:29pm

    By making abortions harder to get, I‘m hoping we’ll encourage our youth to be more responsible in their dealings with romance at such a tender age. “Teenagers afraid to tell their parents”? Anyone not ready to be a parent should not be engaging in such risky behavior.

    Report Post »  
  • Gamaliel
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:29pm

    Planned Parenthood “complying” with a restriction? Don‘t they usually just shop this kind of thing to some hack judge who’ll put an injunction on the law they don’t like? Wow, this is good news!

    Report Post »  
  • Smokey_Bojangles
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:26pm

    Kill The Babies and Save the whales!So is Planned Parenthood just going to kill Black and Latino men instead?

    Report Post » Smokey_Bojangles  
  • thegrassroots
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:24pm

    It’s A Start! May it spread like an out of control fire and abortion clinics all across our country be shut down, In Jesus’ Name!

    Report Post »  
  • momprayn
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:19pm

    “..services they need”……they keep on using very selective words to make their evil agendas sound necessary and benevolent….but I guess that’s to be expected. I was listening to Phyllis Schafly last night – for those younger ones out there – she was the chief one responsible to expose and fight against the “women’s liberation movement” (feminisits) back in the 60′s. Amazing woman – in her 80′s and still writing books (“The Flipside of Feminism” I think)….pointing out all the lies they used to seduce females into their evil movement. Talked about how they hate Consv. women, especially the successful ones like Palin & Bachmann. It reminded me of the prochoicers and the lies they said re abortions & to get Roe v. Wade passed. I pray that these closings are a good sign that it will spread and we’ll one day even get Roe v. Wade ruled unconstgitutional as it can be proved to be & end the murder.

    Report Post »  
  • cloudsofwar
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:16pm

    Thats 3 cities that might be spared GOD’S WRATH.

    Report Post »  
  • Brian3163
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:14pm

    So they require a doctor to see the girl before hand. Big deal. Maybe it will reverse the high pressure pro abortion propaganda they receive inside planned parenthood.

    We need fewer murdered babies.

    Report Post »  
    • Doc_Slammin
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 8:33pm

      The truth is that abortion clinics could not survive without government assistance. Therefore, without government assistance, these clinics would shut down entirely.

      Abortion is “premeditated” murder because it is discussed and plotted out before the murder occurs.

      Report Post » Doc_Slammin  
  • cloudsofwar
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:14pm

    I”M liking Arizona more and more. too bad it’s so hot and dry or i would move there. I wish the rest of the country would grow some BALLS. Or should i say i wish we all had governors with a set of BALLS.

    Report Post »  
    • six4life
      Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:26pm

      Is it just me or are there more and more right minded, God loving female politicians with “balls” ??? Thank-you Jan Brewer, Michele Bachman, Sarah Palin and scores of other conservative pro-life, pro-family, pro-country women….It’s time men became men again instead of “girlie men” !

      Report Post » six4life  
  • MODEL82A1
    Posted on August 19, 2011 at 7:09pm

    Oh, man, the ******** are going to blow a gasket over this one!

    Report Post » MODEL82A1  
1 2

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love