Arizonans may finally get a break this year from what has been a perennial debate over two high-profile issues.
The chances of lawmakers approving major new restrictions on abortion this session are slim. Ditto significant new laws designed to deal with illegal immigrants.
And in both cases, the reason is the same: The state probably has gone as far as it can, at least for now.
In the case of abortion, opponents have the ultimate goal of making the process illegal. But that isn't possible unless and until the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its historic 40-year-old Roe v. Wade decision which declared that women have a constitutional right to terminate their pregnancy, at least early in the process.
Working within those constraints, Arizona already requires a 24-hour waiting period. Women must be provided information about the development of the fetus. Lawmakers banned specially trained nurse practitioners from doing even medical abortions. And there are various licensing requirements for abortion facilities.
Foes may have finally bumped up against the legal wall last session with a measure outlawing abortions at 20 weeks of pregnancy.
A federal judge ruled last year that runs afoul of Supreme Court precedent which says while states may regulate abortions, it cannot ban the procedure outright before a fetus is viable, something that occurs in the 22 to 24-week range. A federal appellate court has that under review.
Abortion foes have so far fared no better with a separate measure last year aimed at Planned Parenthood. It says any organization which performs abortions is ineligible to get federal and state Medicaid dollars for family planning, even if the abortions are not funded with government funds. That law, too, was placed on hold.
The limits on further legislative action are similar in the case of immigration.
Arizona has led the country with a series of measures, culminating with the 2010 law designed to give police more power to stop and detain suspected illegal immigrants. But the U.S. Supreme Court said three key provisions are clearly preempted by federal law.
And while the justices agreed to let the state begin enforcing the fourth -- a provision that requires police to ask suspected illegal immigrants for documentation -- they warned that language, too, could be overturned if there is evidence the law is being implemented in a discriminatory fashion.
Other sections aimed at day laborers and those who harbor illegal immigrants also have been enjoined by a trial judge.
There's also a political factor: Russell Pearce, the Mesa Republican who had been at the forefront of pushing many of these laws, is no longer in the Legislature. He was recalled and lost a subsequent bid to regain his seat.
Ateam1 posted at 4:18 pm on Sun, Jan 13, 2013.
It won't matter if new laws are put in place, People just do what they want anyways because the laws arent allowed to be Enforced! Dont Waste the taxpayers money,just let it fix itself,Let it all RIDE! When we hit rock bottom,then maybe things will change.If not,Oh well!
downtownresident posted at 12:15 pm on Tue, Jan 15, 2013.
To think that this group of self-centered children would do ANYTHING productive is just a dream.
hamguy posted at 4:48 pm on Thu, Jan 24, 2013.
Abortion only matters to the unborn. If you believe that life begins at conception, it is not abortion but murder. Regarding illegal aliens, the law needs changing so that if they have a child here, it does not become an automatic citizen which allows the mother to ride in on the crib blanket. Those who have been here all or most of there life could be allowed a "green card" sort of status where they have the rights etc but can not petition anyone in until they acquire full status.
PS " illegal alien" is not a bad term - they are here illegally and they are not native to the area hence "alien" Don't see the problem there.