The Arizona state House voted on Wednesday to repeal the 160-year-old abortion ban that is slated to go into effect after the state’s Supreme Court upheld the law that protects unborn babies from nearly all abortions.
Three Republicans — Reps. Matt Gress, Justin Wilmeth, and Tim Dunn — joined with 29 Democrats to advance the legislation in a 32-28 vote, AZ Central reported. Republican Rep. Barbara Parker passionately argued for her colleagues to vote against the repeal, saying that while critics of the law call it “archaic,” repealing it would send the state back in time and does not value the life of unborn children.
“I can hear their silent screams and with my voice, I vote no,” Parker said.
After the repeal passed, Rep. Gress moved that the bill be sent to the state Senate and returned unamended so it could go to the Democratic governor’s desk as soon as possible, according to AZ Central. House Speaker Ben Toma then removed Gress, along with Democratic Rep. Oscar De Los Santos, from a key budget committee following the vote.
Following the state House’s passage of the repeal, the Arizona Senate must act to send the legislation to Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs’ desk. The 1864 abortion ban could go into effect on June 8, but if it’s repealed, the state will revert to the 15-week limit that was signed by Republican Governor Doug Ducey in 2022, CNN reported.
The state Senate, which is also controlled by Republicans, introduced its own bill to repeal the 1864 law last week after two Republicans joined all Democrats to approve a motion introducing the legislation. The Arizona Senate could vote on the repeal as soon as next Wednesday, NBC News reported.
The state House’s move to repeal the abortion law came after two failed attempts by lawmakers in the body to repeal the 1864 law as Arizona Republicans juggle the contentious issue in a major election year. Arizona’s abortion law has become a national controversy as even former President Donald Trump has urged the state’s lawmakers “to remedy what has happened.”
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After the state Supreme Court’s decision to allow the abortion law to go into effect, pro-life groups such as Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and LiveAction celebrated the ruling and its protection of unborn children.