The Arizona House voted to repeal the state’s controversial 1864 ban on almost all abortions with a vote of 32-28, with three Republicans joining Democrats. Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton sponsored the bill and expressed cautious optimism following conversations with Republicans the night before the vote. The bill now moves to the state Senate where it could be taken up next week. State Rep. Matt Gress, one of the Republicans who supported the repeal, was removed from his committee assignment but urged the Senate to address the matter quickly, stressing the importance of respecting and protecting women while defending new life.
Republican State Rep. Tim Dunn, another supporter of the repeal, highlighted the imperfections of the 1864 law for not including exceptions for cases of rape and incest. An anti-abortion organizer has already announced plans to organize primary opponents for the Republicans who voted for the repeal. The Senate conducted a second read of its own abortion ban repeal bill, setting up a parallel vote, though the House bill’s approval makes this step likely unnecessary. Two Republican senators have stated their support for the repeal effort, indicating the bill’s potential passage in the Senate and eventual signing by Gov. Katie Hobbs.
Concerns about the Civil War-era abortion ban have been raised by prominent political figures including Trump, former Gov. Doug Ducey, and Senate candidate Kari Lake, who believe the ban is too extreme. Republican lawmakers who object to repealing the ban have criticized the move as rushing the legislative process. House Speaker Ben Toma challenged the vote on the House floor and expressed disappointment in the rush to repeal the ban before the courts could assess its constitutionality. Some GOP members accused the House, including the Republicans who voted with Democrats, of making decisions based on political pressures rather than principles.
The issue of repealing the abortion ban is expected to be put before voters in the upcoming November election. The Arizona for Abortion Access campaign aims to secure a constitutional amendment on the ballot to protect abortion access. The campaign has gathered more than 500,000 signatures, exceeding the required threshold, and plans to continue collecting signatures. Democrats believe that the focus on abortion access could boost voter turnout in their favor, based on past elections since Roe v. Wade’s protections were repealed in 2022. Overall, the repeal of the controversial 1864 abortion ban in Arizona has sparked political debates and actions, with implications for upcoming elections.
