A new lawsuit seeks to overturn an Arizona law set to go into effect next month that bans abortions due to genetic abnormalities, the Arizona Republic reports.
Governor Doug Ducey (R-Az.) signed the bill in April. Under it, healthcare workers who provide abortions solely due to genetic abnormalities could face jail time, though there are exceptions for genetic conditions that are lethal. The law also bars state universities from providing terminations, bans the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs, and confers civil rights upon fetuses. "There's immeasurable value in every single life — regardless of genetic makeup," Ducey said in a statement at the time.
The new lawsuit, though, argues the law is unconstitutional and would have "a chilling effect" on discussions between patients and their doctors, the Associated Press says. "This ban targets pregnant people who face complex and personal considerations as a result of fetal genetic screening or diagnostic testing during routine prenatal care, including decisions about what is best for them and their families," attorney Emily Nester from the Center for Reproductive Rights writes in the suit, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
The AP adds that other Republican-controlled states have passed similar laws banning abortion based on genetic abnormalities, though it notes many of the laws are on hold.