Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, issued an executive order Thursday stripping counties of the power to file abortion-related prosecutions.

Hobbes’ order centralizes this power in state attorneys general and is likely to strengthen protections for abortion rights in the states.

Hobbes announced She signed the executive order in a tweet on Friday, saying that differences in how county attorneys apply state laws will not limit access to legal abortion.

“I have signed an executive order protecting the reproductive freedom of Arizonans.

The order concerns current or future criminal prosecution of health care providers, entities and individuals for violations of state law restricting access to abortion “to the extent permissible” under Arizona law.

Mr. Hobbes also called on all state officials not to support investigations by other states or use state resources to provide, seek, assist, or obtain reproductive health care that is legal in Arizona. instructed.

The order also states that the Hobbes Administration will deny extradition requests from states seeking prosecution of individuals accused of involvement in the provision, assistance, or receipt of reproductive health care, so long as they are legal in Arizona. Declaring. It said this would be a policy to the extent permitted by federal and state law.

Hobbes has also established the Governor’s Advisory Committee on the Protection of Reproductive Liberty to advise the governor on expanding access to reproductive and sexual health care across the state. The Council will be directed to consider expanding access to family planning and reproductive health resources, review current regulatory and enforcement frameworks, suggest areas for improvement, and address healthcare disparities.

The order was announced just before Saturday’s one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, which declared the constitutional right to abortion. In the year since the ruling, many states have enacted strict abortion restrictions through anti-trigger statutes and other laws.

Arizona has had laws banning nearly all abortions since the 1800s, but the Arizona Court of Appeals blocked Effective from October, control Doctors were not prosecuted under the law in December.

Hobbes’ predecessor, former Gov. Doug Ducey (Republican) signed A 15-week ban was enacted in March last year, months before the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Mr. Hobbes last year appealed to protect access to abortion services after the court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade made abortion services an even bigger political issue.

Speaker of the House Ben Thoma (Republican) Said The Arizona Republic said it is reviewing the order to determine whether he and his staff are legally permitted.

“At the very least, this order shows contempt and contempt for the judiciary. Arizona’s abortion law is still pending in light of the Supreme Court’s historic Dobbs decision,” he said. “The governor cannot unilaterally transfer the statutory authority to prosecute criminal cases from the 15 Arizona county attorneys to the Attorney General.”

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