老澳门开奖结果

State Law Withholds Resources from Organizations that Provide Abortion Referrals or Counseling

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

PHOENIX 鈥� A federal court today has blocked the implementation of an Arizona law that would exclude any nonprofit organization that provides abortion referrals or counseling from receiving donations through the state鈥檚 Working Poor Tax Credit Program.

The law was challenged by the 老澳门开奖结果, the 老澳门开奖结果 of Arizona and the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence (AzCADV).

鈥淲e are pleased the court blocked this dangerous and unconstitutional law from going into effect,鈥� Alessandra Soler Meetze, executive director of the 老澳门开奖结果 of Arizona. 鈥淥ur laws do not allow the state to prevent a woman in crisis from receiving open and honest information about abortion, just because the state disagrees with her choice.鈥�

The Working Poor Tax Credit Program allows taxpayers to claim a credit on their state tax returns if they make a donation to organizations that serve low-income Arizona residents. However, the law prohibits an otherwise qualified organization from participating in the program, if the organization provides referrals for abortion. The law is so broad that it could prevent groups from even discussing abortion or other reproductive health services with women in crisis.

鈥淭his past year has seen a drastic increase in government attempts to interfere in a woman鈥檚 personal medical decisions but time and again these laws have been stopped by the courts,鈥� said Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, staff attorney with the 老澳门开奖结果 Reproductive Freedom Project. 鈥淪urely the state has better things to do than punish organizations for providing survivors of domestic violence with unbiased information about abortion. Survivors of domestic and sexual violence deserve to have access to a full range of information and options when escaping an abusive situation.鈥�

In its brief seeking the injunction, the 老澳门开奖结果 argued that organizations that serve survivors of partner violence and sexual assault in particular would be hurt by this law. Many victims of domestic violence have experienced a range of sexually abusive behaviors, including rape, which can lead to unwanted pregnancy. The 老澳门开奖结果 also contended it is essential that a woman overcoming a violent relationship be able to make her own health care decisions.

鈥淥ur members shouldn鈥檛 feel torn between presenting a pregnant woman with information about her options and sacrificing much-needed donations,鈥� said Elizabeth Ditlevson, acting executive director of AzCADV. 鈥淭he needs of the woman and her family should come first. Politics should have nothing to do with it.鈥�

More information on this case can be found at: