On October 29, 2025, Attorney Laura Wolff argued in front of the Alaska Supreme Court against the Court’s 2024 decision to continue suspension of a 1970 law requiring abortions to be performed only by licensed physicians.
The law in question states: “An abortion may not be performed in this state unless the abortion is performed by a physician licensed by the State Medical Board under AS 08.64.200.” In 2024, Planned Parenthood and other abortion advocates persuaded Alaska Superior Court Judge Josie Garton that the law violates the Alaska State Constitution, specifically the right to privacy clause. Judge Garton’s suspension of the law enables a broad range of medical professionals to perform abortions or prescribe abortion pills.
The State of Alaska appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court with the intention of proving the 1970 law constitutional and lifting the suspension. The State’s main argument is that Judge Garton incorrectly applied the strict scrutiny principle.
Planned Parenthood’s attorneys defended the suspension by claiming the law “singles out abortions because it allows qualified and licensed advanced practice clinicians to perform many other medical procedures, including for miscarriage patients, but not relatively standardized and straightforward abortion procedures.”
Such an argument falls flat. Yes, abortion is singled out by the law, and for good reason: abortion intentionally terminates a pregnancy and ends a life. Because of abortion’s distinct aim, the law treats it distinctly. Another example of the law singling out abortion is statute 18.16.010(b) which states: “Nothing in this section requires a hospital or person to participate in an abortion, nor is a hospital or person liable for refusing to participate in an abortion under this section.”
Why is it that abortion is one of few medical procedures medical professionals can choose not to perform? Because abortion is an elective surgery that ends a life and therefore is unconscionable to many professionals who have sworn “to do no harm.”
Unborn babies, from the moment of conception, have their own DNA distinct from their mothers’. The prevalence of ultrasound technology today confirms in real-time a baby’s heart, brain, personality, little feet, fingers, noses– they are entirely unique individuals while still inside the womb. Many mothers have been convicted to choose life after seeing an ultrasound image of their child. Even more so, prominent abortionist turned pro-life advocate, Dr. Bernard M. Nathanson, credits this ‘great new technology’ to helping change his mind.
While the Alaska Supreme Court decides whether only a licensed physician or any medical professional can help a mother kill her unborn baby, Alaskans must consider whether life-ending procedures should be performed at all.