Arizona is moving ahead to reverse a near-total abortion ban that’s been on the books since 1864 after the state Senate narrowly voted on Wednesday to repeal the law, revived last month by the state Supreme Court.
The vote passed 16-14, with two Republicans joining the Democrats to send the bill to the governor’s desk. Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, has said she will sign the legislation.
During the vote, several Republicans criticized the Democrats for “fast-tracking” the legislation through the chamber and called out their two GOP colleagues who voted “yes” on the bill.
The Senate vote follows multiple attempts by the Arizona state House to pass a repeal. Democrats secured enough support from Republican colleagues last week to clear the bill on the third attempt in as many weeks.
Republicans hold a narrow majority in both branches of the Arizona Legislature. The Arizona Supreme Court’s decision in early April ruling that the 1864 ban was enforceable sparked national outcry. Lawmakers in the battleground state have been grappling with the ban ever since, with Democrats pushing for a repeal and Republicans fielding pressure from powerful figures, like former President Donald Trump, to undo the political damage it could have caused in a crucial election year. The ban was set to go into effect after June 8 at the earliest. The near-total abortion ban will be officially repealed 90 days after Hobbs signs it into law, after which the previous 15-week ban will be reinstated.
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
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