By Dave Andrusko
It’s perfectly understandable, I know because it happens to me all the time. Laws are passed with a “date effective” attached to them and we might not remember when that day actually comes and our pro-life efforts have officially borne proof.
Writing for Capitol Media Services, Howard Fischer posted a story about how “Hundreds of new Arizona laws take effect Friday.” Among those are two of particular interest to pro-lifers, laws we’ve written about previously.
Back in April pro-life Gov. Doug Ducey signed SB 1394 which made important changes to the state’s abortion reporting law. The bill is “designed to prevent women from being coerced into abortions by imposing stricter standards on abortionists,” according to Calvin Freiburger. “It also requires more detailed reporting on women’s reasons for, and complications from, abortion.”
A key provision requires abortionists to ask women if they have been coerced into having the abortion, or if they are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, or incest.
“A somewhat-related measure spells out for the first time in Arizona law what a judge hearing a divorce case must consider when there are fertilized embryos,” Fischer wrote. “Current law gives judges no particular guidance if there is a dispute, with courts often deciding based on any contract the couple signed while still married. “
Under the new law, in cases of divorce and subsequent disputes over frozen embryos, courts will give custody to the parent who would “allow the in vitro embryos to develop to birth.”
According to reporter Kaila White of the Arizona Republic
The bill …would override any agreements or contracts that the couple previously had on the matter, and would ignore either person’s current objections or concerns. It also outlines that the spouse who does not receive the embryos would not have parental rights or responsibilities to any resulting children unless they agree to them.
The law is a first-of-its-kind and would reverse the usual outcomes in disputes where the mother wants one or more of the frozen embryos implanted and the father does not.
Congratulations to the state of Arizona for these two important new laws.