April 17 (UPI) — An effort to repeal the state’s 1864 abortion law by Arizona House Democrats fell short during a special vote Wednesday to suspend rules to advance a measure for a floor vote.
“The last thing we should be doing today is rushing a bill through the legislative process to repeal a law that has been enacted and reaffirmed by the Legislature several times,” House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Maricopa County, told House lawmakers.
One GOP House member, Matt Gress, voted to suspend the rules, but the Democrats still lacked the 31 votes needed to allow the bill’s immediate consideration, AZ Central reported.
Suspending the rules also requires the House Speaker’s support, but Toma repeatedly said he opposes repealing the 1864 law.
The GOP holds 31 seats to the Democratic Party’s 28 in the Arizona House, with one seat vacant. The GOP likewise has a narrow majority in the Arizona Senate, with 16 seats to 14 for Democrats.
The Arizona Supreme Court last week upheld the state’s 1964 abortion law, which nearly bans all abortions. The court on April 9 voted 4-2 to uphold the law.
The 1864 makes it a felony punishable by between two and five years’ imprisonment for anyone who performs an abortion or helps a woman have an abortion in Arizona.
The law does not include exceptions for rape or incest but does allow abortion when medically necessary to save the mother’s life.
Arizona’s abortion law applies to the unborn from the moment of conception.
Arizona’s Democratic lawmakers said they will continue trying to repeal the state’s abortion law and anticipate flipping control of the Arizona House and Senate during November’s general election due to the issue.