Loading...

Arizona Senate may repeal state abortion law

Legislation repealing the territorial law could be approved by the Arizona Senate and signed by Arizona Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs as soon as Wednesday if two or more Republicans vote with Democrats.

article image

Several prominent Arizona Republicans have distanced themselves from the Arizona Supreme Court decision in recent weeks. File Image.

Members of the Arizona State Senate may vote Wednesday to repeal a law imposing penalties on abortionists, a move which could be enabled by Republicans voting with Democrats.

 

The territorial law enacted in 1864 prescribes two to five years in prison for anyone who “provides, supplies, or administers” an abortion, although women cannot be penalized since another measure to that effect was already repealed by pro-life lobbyists three years ago. Members of the Arizona House, including three Republican lawmakers, voted to repeal the 1864 law last week after the Arizona Supreme Court said that the statute can be enforced.

 

 

Legislation repealing the territorial law could be approved by the Arizona Senate and signed by Arizona Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs as soon as Wednesday if two or more Republicans vote with Democrats. Several Republicans have indicated support for such a move.

 

Arizona Republican State Senate President Pro Tempore TJ Shope said he would work to repeal the territorial law in favor of “reasonable limitations on abortion that a majority of Arizonans support,” while Arizona Republican State Senator Shawnna Bolick said she supports a repeal and opposes the prosecution of “doctors who perform” abortions. Arizona Republican State Senator Ken Bennett likewise said Republicans would lose seats without a repeal.

 

 

Both Shope and Bolick cosponsored legislation two years ago enacting a fifteen-week abortion regulation while leaving the territorial law on the books. The fifteen-week standard would remain intact if the territorial statute is repealed, but critics of the regulation note that 94% of abortions already occur before the fifteen-week milestone in a pregnancy.

 

Several prominent Arizona Republicans have distanced themselves from the Arizona Supreme Court decision in recent weeks. Kari Lake, a Republican candidate for the United States Senate, referenced a recent statement from former President Donald Trump calling for states to make their own laws on abortion and stressing the need for the Republican Party to win elections. She asked for Republican lawmakers to work with Hobbs and pass a new alternative but pivoted in recent days toward supporting the territorial law after facing backlash from conservatives.

 

 

Republicans who attempted to denounce the Arizona Supreme Court decision and the territorial law have indeed faced criticism from anti-abortion activists. Leaders of End Abortion Now, a Christian ministry based in Arizona which supports the abolition of abortion, said in a podcast episode that senior Republicans are motivated by maintaining political power.

 

“They desperately want to win the next election. They want to win votes. You have pro-life Republican legislators that are working behind the scenes right now to create legislation and do away with the law criminalizing abortionists,” remarked Jeff Durbin, a founder of End Abortion Now. “Take a breath and take that in. That’s what’s happening right now. They so want to win elections that they are willing to abandon these children and justice for these children.”

 

article image