Statement from Center for Arizona Policy President, Cathi Herrod
PHOENIX – “Arizona families have reason to celebrate today. Legislators successfully fought for life, women, fundamental freedoms, and hardworking taxpayers – passing laws that promote the values Arizonans hold dear.
Lawmakers passed a budget that includes sensible legislation to strip special interest groups of deceitful privileges. No longer will health clinics like Planned Parenthood be allowed to gouge taxpayers by charging the government up to ten times the cost of medication.
Additionally, legislators empowered the state to take action against those who may abuse the Medicaid program. Through the Taxpayer Protection and Medicaid Integrity Act, violators can be removed from AHCCCS altogether. Working families deserve to know that their hard-earned dollars are being used prudently and not being wasted.
Most heartening are the steps taken this year to protect life and care for women. Too many women have suffered anguish at the hands of the abortion industry. Regret is sometimes instantaneous. Abortion providers can no longer lie or hide potentially life-saving information about the abortion pill.
It took legal action for Planned Parenthood to admit that the first of two prescribed abortion pills is as little as 20% effective. If a woman changes her mind before taking the second pill, abortion doctors are now required to inform the woman of the low efficacy and refer her to a physician.
This, on the heels of an historic law signed by Governor Ducey earlier in the year that prohibited the sale and research of aborted baby body parts. Abortion providers in Arizona will no longer be able to peddle aborted remains for profit.
We applaud the pro-life legislators and governor who stood with women and families this session and boldly passed humane laws.
Arizona lawmakers have also given teeth to a previous law ensuring college students can practice their freedom of speech on state campuses. Now, when college bureaucrats try to stop a student from handing out copies of the U.S. Constitution, as they did at Paradise Valley Community College, students will have recourse.
The working poor and foster children are also winners this session. Organizations that serve them can now receive twice the amount in donations thanks to an increase in the contribution amounts allowed under the Charitable Tax Credit program. Also, the law creates a new and separate tax credit specifically for foster care charities.
We join Arizonans in thanking the lawmakers who stood strong for life, women, and families this session.”
Center for Arizona Policy promotes and defends the foundational values of life, marriage and family, and religious freedom. For more information, visit azpolicy.org.
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