Let’s not get too excited because the legislation still has to work its way through the Arizona Senate, but last week a couple Republican Senators did crossover to allow the bill to be heard there, so there’s that.
But the good news today is that on its third try the Arizona House finally voted to repeal the 1864 abortion law.
After three weeks of trying, the Arizona House of Representatives has voted to repeal a near-total abortion ban that was written in 1864 after the state Supreme Court earlier this month ruled that it could be enforced, setting the stage for the end of abortion services in the Grand Canyon State.
With a 31-29 Republican majority in the House, Democrats needed at least two Republicans to join them and they got three, and wow are the forced-birthers (most of the GOP) mad at them! The repeal is now scheduled to be voted on next week in the Senate, so Gov. Katie Hobbs could see the legislation on her desk the first week of May! There’s no doubt she will sign it, unlike failed Gov. Kari Lake, who has flipped and flopped and flipped again on the 1864 law.
Regardless of what happens with the repeal, Arizona voters will have the opportunity to enshrine reproductive rights into the state constitution this November, and a campaign is underway to defeat the two Arizona Supreme Court justices who voted for the 1864 restrictions.
Dems should be prepared for a boatload of Republican tricks: they’ll try to confuse voters with their own abortion referenda, they’ll attempt to nullify the abortion vote itself, and they’re preparing legislation that’ll keep Supreme Court justices on the bench regardless of voters’ preference. Just you try! We’re pissed and paying attention!