In a testy and emotional session that included angry spats, a senator reading from the Bible and another playing a recording of his daughter’s fetal heartbeat, the Senate voted 16 to 14 to repeal the law, with two Republicans joining Democrats in backing the measure.
The Senate was voting on the language that Arizona’s House of Representatives passed a week ago, when three Republicans joined with Democrats to pass the repeal bill.
The bill will next go to Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat who has called on the Legislature to repeal the 1864 ban.
The Senate’s actions Wednesday, which were punctuated by angry calls from a gallery filled with activists, underscore how animating an issue abortion will be in November’s election. The two Republicans — Sens. T.J. Shope and Shawnna Bolick — took heat from their fellow Republicans for deserting their party on the controversial vote.
“Our Democrat colleagues who are very good at sticking together … they vote together,” said Sen. Dave Farnsworth. “Unfortunately, on this side of the aisle, we are not so good at doing that.”
The Arizona Supreme Court set off a firestorm when it ruled in early April to ban all abortions except when a mother’s life is at risk — a provision that was added to Arizona’s code in 1864, decades before the territory became a state. The 15-week ban, which Arizona is set to return to, does not include exceptions for rape or incest. It does allow for abortions, even after 15 weeks, if a doctor determines there is a medical emergency.
The repeal will not go into effect until 90 days after the Legislature concludes its session — which may be weeks away. The 1864 law could still go into effect in June, and remain active until the legislative session concludes and the 90-day period is completed. Abortion rights activists cautiously rejoiced Wednesday.
“We appreciate the efforts of pro-reproductive freedom lawmakers to repeal this harmful abortion ban. Unfortunately, Arizonans will still be living under a law that denies us the right to make decisions about our own health,” Chris Love, a spokesperson for Arizona for Abortion Access, said in a statement. “Arizonans cannot afford to celebrate or lose momentum. The threat to our reproductive freedom is as immediate today as it ever was.”
Activists say they have enough signatures to put a proposed constitutional amendment on November’s ballot that would allow for abortions in Arizona. Abortion is poised to be a top issue for voters in the swing state, which eked out a win for President Biden in the 2020 election.