Arizona Bishops denounce Governors Veto of Partial Birth Abortion Ban

"Even though there is a federal law banning partial birth abortion, a state ban would have allowed Arizona prosecutors to enforce such a ban without having to rely on the federal government."

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PHOENIX (CNA) - The Bishops of the Arizona Catholic Conference, in a statement released Friday, denounced Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano's veto of legislation that would have banned partial birth abortion in Arizona.

The veto came despite significant medical evidence that partial birth abortions are never medically necessary. The legislature was entitled to make a constitutionally correct judgment in banning a particularly gruesome procedure that blurs the line between abortion and infanticide.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix, who is also the Apostolic Administrator of Gallup, NM, and Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson said in the statement:

"Even though there is a federal law banning partial birth abortion, a state ban would have allowed Arizona prosecutors to enforce such a ban without having to rely on the federal government."

The full text of the statement from the Arizona Catholic Conference Bishops is available at www.azcatholicconference.org.

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