GOP-led Arizona Senate to vote on repealing 1864 abortion ban

Arizona's Republican-controlled Senate connected Wednesday is group to ballot connected repealing a Civil War-era abortion ban, 1 week aft a akin mobility passed nan GOP-controlled authorities House. 

After two grounded attempts, 3 Republicans successful nan authorities House connected joined each nan Democrats successful successfully voting to repeal nan law, sending it to nan Senate. 

The 14 Democrats successful nan authorities Senate are hoping to prime up astatine slightest 2 Republicans to nonstop nan measurement to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who has said she will motion it. If nan repeal is signed, a 2022 rule that capped abortions astatine 15 weeks would yet spell into effect. 

Last month, nan Arizona Supreme Court ruled that nan 1864 rule banning astir each abortions could spell into effect, superseding a 15-week abortion prohibition put successful spot successful 2022 by authorities Republicans. The March 2022 rule was signed 3 months earlier nan U.S. Supreme Court struck down nan national correct to an abortion pinch its determination in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision.

The authorities Supreme Court recovered that nan 2022 Arizona prohibition "is predicated wholly connected nan beingness of a national law correct to an abortion" because nan 2022 prohibition didn't "independently authorize abortion." As a result, nan tribunal said, location was nary proviso successful either authorities aliases national rule that addressed nan cognition of nan 1864 ban, truthful that prohibition "is now enforceable," nan tribunal ruled.

Even if nan Senate passes nan repeal connected Wednesday, it would not spell into effect until 90 days aft nan legislature adjourns. The 1864 rule is group to spell into effect connected June 27. 

File: The Arizona Senate building astatine nan authorities Capitol, April 11, 2024, Phoenix. Ross D. Franklin / AP

Former Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who signed nan 2022 law, was among nan critics of nan court's decision, arsenic good arsenic U.S. GOP Senate campaigner Kari Lake. Former President Donald Trump said aft nan ruling, "I'm judge that nan politician and everybody other are going to bring it backmost into logic and that'll beryllium taken attraction of, I deliberation very quickly."

Democrats, who nationally person been moving connected restoring abortion rights, person focused connected Arizona, a plaything authorities that flipped for President Biden successful 2020, arsenic a cardinal battleground. In a reside successful Tucson past month, Vice President Kamala Harris tied nan 1864 abortion ban — and akin restrictive measures successful different states — to Trump, calling him "the designer of this wellness attraction crisis."

Shawna Mizelle contributed to this report. 

In:
• Arizona
• Abortion