The Arizona House of Representatives has voted to repeal a near-total ban on abortions, clearing an initial hurdle in a battleground state where the issue has become a political flashpoint. The measure, which passed with the support of three Republicans, faces additional hurdles before it can become law, but its approval signals a shift in the state’s political landscape.
In a narrow vote, the Republican-controlled Arizona House of Representatives has approved a measure to repeal an 1864 abortion ban. The bill now moves to the state Senate, which also has a narrow GOP majority. If the repeal fails, the old law, which would make performing an abortion a felony, will go into effect in June after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Democrats have pushed for the repeal for three straight weeks, while Republicans are deeply divided on the issue. Even former President Donald Trump has denounced the law.
The Supreme Court is considering whether Idaho’s abortion ban, which prohibits emergency abortions even if a woman’s life is not immediately in danger, violates federal law. The Biden administration argues that a 1986 federal law requires emergency room doctors to stabilize patients and abortions are not excluded. Idaho’s attorney general argues that the state’s abortion ban already makes exceptions when a woman’s life is in danger. The court’s decision is expected in June.
The Arizona House of Representatives has voted to repeal the state’s near-total ban on abortion, which dates back to 1864. The vote was 32-28, with all 29 Democrats and three Republicans supporting the repeal. The repeal bill now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to pass. If the repeal is approved by the Senate and signed by Governor Katie Hobbs, it would overturn the current law, which only allows abortions to save the life of the pregnant person. It would also reinstate a 2022 law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Tennessee is poised to follow Idaho in banning adults from aiding minors in obtaining abortions without parental permission. Despite anticipated legal challenges, the measure is expected to be signed into law, potentially affecting access to healthcare for vulnerable minors. Opponents, including Democratic Rep. Aftyn Behn, have criticized the bill as an infringement on parental rights. Meanwhile, supporters argue that it protects minors and alleviates the burden on parents.
A bill introduced in the California legislature would allow abortion providers in Arizona to quickly obtain temporary medical licenses to practice in California, in response to an influx of patients from states that have outlawed the procedure. The proposal comes as Arizona recently ruled that a 160-year-old law criminalizing nearly all abortions can go into effect, overriding an existing 15-week ban. Members of California’s Legislative Women’s Caucus and Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced the bill, explaining that Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes had reached out to her California counterpart, fellow Democrat Rob Bonta, about the idea. The bill aims to expedite the passage ahead of June 8, when Arizona’s abortion restrictions are set to kick in. California lawmakers and advocates for the new legislation emphasized that it is a temporary solution, as the patchwork of abortion access laws across the country following the overturning of Roe v. Wade is unfortunate and no one should have to travel out of state for healthcare.
In a surprising turn of events, the Arizona House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to repeal the state’s 160-year-old abortion ban. The measure passed with Republican legislators joining Democrats in a 32-29 vote. The repeal comes after the state’s Supreme Court upheld the ban earlier this month, sparking outrage and confusion. The measure will now move to the Arizona Senate for consideration.
During oral arguments in the Supreme Court case involving Idaho’s abortion ban, Justice Amy Coney Barrett expressed surprise at the state’s lawyer’s response to the question of whether a hospital’s duty to perform an abortion would be triggered in the case of a patient at risk of losing her reproductive organs. The Biden administration has challenged the ban, arguing that federal law requires hospitals to provide emergency room care, including abortions. Conservative justices appeared sympathetic to Idaho’s arguments, while liberal justices agreed with the administration’s position. Justice Barrett and Chief Justice John Roberts emerged as key votes in the case.
Democratic legislators in Arizona are once again attempting to repeal the state’s strict abortion ban, which has been in effect since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Republicans have used procedural tactics to block previous repeal efforts, but Democrats remain hopeful that one more Republican will cross party lines on Wednesday to bring the repeal bill to a vote.
Conservative Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism Wednesday about whether state abortion bans violate federal healthcare law, despite concerns raised by the Biden administration and the high court’s liberal minority. The case stems from Idaho’s ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy, which has been allowed to remain in effect even during medical emergencies. The Biden administration argues that federal law requires hospitals to provide emergency abortion care, but Idaho contends its ban has exceptions for life-saving procedures and that allowing abortions in more medical emergencies would turn hospitals into ‘abortion enclaves.’ The Supreme Court’s decision is expected by the end of June.
