The Arizona Senate voted to repeal an 1864 law that banned almost all abortions in the state, with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. The measure passed 16-14, with two Republicans joining all state Senate Democrats in voting to eliminate the pre-statehood law. This move followed the Arizona House’s vote to repeal the law, ordered to be enforced by the state Supreme Court after the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse Roe v. Wade. The bill is now headed to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who is expected to sign it into law.
Arizona state Senate Democrats expressed frustration with the previous attempts by Republicans to block the legislation repealing the total abortion ban, which had been upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court. They praised Senate Democrats for pushing the repeal through to the governor’s desk. Democratic state Sen. Anna Hernandez, the bill’s sponsor, emphasized that the vote was a step towards protecting abortion rights in Arizona but stressed the need to continue fighting until those rights are guaranteed in the constitution.
Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is running for the US Senate seat in Arizona, reiterated the importance of the repeal but also emphasized that more work needs to be done to protect women’s rights. He vowed to pass a constitutional right to abortion and defeat anti-abortion extremists in the upcoming election. Republican candidate Kari Lake expressed her opposition to the Civil War-era law but criticized the decision not to enforce it, calling for compliance with the Arizona Supreme Court ruling. Former President Donald Trump also weighed in, criticizing the court ruling and expressing confidence that the issue would be resolved quickly.
The law was set to go into effect on June 8, superseding the state’s current 15-week abortion ban. Abortion rights advocates in Arizona have gathered enough signatures to place a ballot measure amending the state constitution in November. The push for this amendment reflects ongoing efforts to solidify abortion rights in the state and protect access to reproductive healthcare for all residents. The repeal of the 1864 law marks an important step in the fight for reproductive rights in Arizona, but advocates and lawmakers agree that more work is needed to ensure these rights are enshrined in law and protected for future generations.
