By Maria Ortiz
Apr 17, 2024, 10:09 PM EDT
The Republican-controlled Arizona House of Representatives once again failed to advance Wednesday on a measure that would have repealed the almost total state ban on abortion that exists because of a 160-year-old law, days after the state Supreme Court revived that ban on abortion rights.
The move to again block the Democratic-led effort came amid growing pressure on the Republican-controlled state Legislature to repeal the ban, including by former President Donald Trump and Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake.
But hours after the state House acted twice to block the bill, The state Senate voted in favor of a motion to introduce a bill that would repeal the Civil War-era abortion ban.
Two Republicans joined all Senate Democrats in voting, allowing action on a repeal bill in the coming weeks.
If the 1864 law were repealed, Arizona would revert to a 15-week abortion restriction enacted in 2022 by then-Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.
State court delayed enforcement of ban for at least 14 days to allow plaintiffs to challenge it, meaning abortions are still allowed in the state.
The law of 1864 prohibits the procedure except to save the life of the pregnant person and threatens suppliers with prison sentences of between two and five years.
If that law goes into effect, Arizona would join 14 states that have passed near-total bans on abortion, some with no exceptions for victims of rape or incest.
Abortion rights advocates say they have gathered 500,000 signatures to put on the November election ballot an initiative that would enshrine access to abortion in the state constitution until fetal viability, which doctors estimate is between 22 and 24 weeks of pregnancy.
The group backing the initiative, Arizona for Abortion Access, must submit 384,000 valid signatures by July 3.
Despite failed repeal efforts, voters will likely have the power to decide for themselves the future of Arizona’s abortion ban in November.
Keep reading:
– Arizona Supreme Court revives 1864 law that criminalizes abortion in almost all circumstances
– Biden condemns Arizona abortion ban as “cruel” and “extreme”
– Trump considers that Arizona went “too far” in banning abortion after defending states to regulate