(Patriot.Buzz) – The Arizona state House voted to repeal a 160-year-old abortion ban that was set to take effect after the state Supreme Court decided to uphold the law, which virtually bans all abortions.
In a noteworthy decision, three Republicans — Representatives Matt Gress, Justin Wilmeth and Tim Dunn — sided with 29 Democrats for a 32-28 vote to advance the legislation.
In a heated debate, Republican Representative Barbara Parker pleaded with her colleagues to preserve the longstanding law.
She stated she remained deeply committed to the rights of unborn children, saying, “I can hear their silent screams and with my voice, I vote no.”
After the House passed the bill, Representative Gress quickly moved to have it sent to the state Senate and returned unamended in hopes of getting it to Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs’ desk quickly.
This move was significant because it came shortly after House Speaker Ben Toma removed both Gress and Democratic Rep. Oscar De Los Santos from a key budget committee after the vote.
The repeal now faces its next problem in the state Senate, which is controlled by Republicans but has shown potential signs of support for the repeal.
Last week, two Republican senators joined all Democrats in approving a motion that would introduce legislation to repeal the 1864 law.
NBC News reported that this sets the stage for a possible Senate vote as early as next Wednesday.
This legislative activity comes after lawmakers tried and failed several times to repeal the 1864 law, which reflects the abortion debate’s deep divisions and high stakes in Arizona especially in an election year.
If reinstated, the original law would be one of the strictest in the nation, but if repealed, the state would maintain a 15-week abortion limit established by former Republican Governor Doug Ducey in 2022.
The controversy surrounding Arizona’s abortion law has drawn national attention, with figures like former President Donald Trump urging state lawmakers “to remedy what has happened.”
Pro-life organizations such as Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and LiveAction have celebrated the potential reinstatement of the 1864 law for being a significant victory for the protection of unborn children.
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