'Another common sense victory': Internet celebrates as Arizona Senate repeals 160-year-old abortion ban

PHOENIX, ARIZONA: In a historic move, the Arizona Senate voted on Wednesday, May 1, to repeal the state’s 160-year-old near-total abortion ban.

The decision comes in the wake of the state Supreme Court’s recent revival of the law, which ignited a fierce debate on reproductive rights in the political arena.

Unexpected bipartisan support

The repeal garnered support from an unexpected quarter, with two Republicans, Sens Shawnna Bolick and TJ Shope, joining forces with the chamber’s 14 Democrats to advance the repeal, resulting in a 16 to 14 vote in favor.

Last week, a similar bipartisan effort saw three Republicans team up with all 29 Democrats in the state House to push forward the repeal. The decades-old law had prohibited abortion at all stages of pregnancy except when necessary to save the life of the mother, imposing severe penalties of two to five-year prison sentences on abortion providers.

The bill now awaits the signature of Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, who expressed eagerness to swiftly sign the repeal into law. If enacted, the legislation would pave the way for the retention of the state’s 15-week limit on abortions, enacted in 2022, which notably lacks exceptions for cases of rape and incest.

Governor Hobbs emphasized the significance of the repeal, stating, “While this repeal is essential for protecting women’s lives, it is just the beginning of our fight to protect reproductive healthcare in Arizona.”

The pressure on Republicans to repeal the antiquated ban, referred to within the state as both the pre-Roe and territorial ban, has been steadily mounting.

Influential figures within the party, including former Governor Doug Ducey, former President Donald Trump, and Senate candidate Kari Lake, have urged legislative action to moderate the ban.

Sen Shawnna Bolick, who provided a pivotal vote in support of the repeal, delivered impassioned remarks, drawing from her personal experiences. Despite disruptions from the gallery and interruptions from her Republican colleagues, Bolick stressed the importance of the repeal in safeguarding women’s health.

“I know the chronicles of these pregnancies quite intimately because they’re all my own,” she said. “And my family lived and survived each one of them, including my miscarriage.”

Bolick, who is married to Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick, concluded her speech by framing the 15-week limit as a viable alternative to the proposed Arizona for Abortion Access amendment, advocating for the preservation of unborn lives.

“Until we have a better choice in this matter I side with saving more babies' lives,” Bolick said.

The immediate future of abortion access in Arizona remains uncertain, as the court’s decision to revive the pre-Roe ban has been temporarily stayed until June 27 at the earliest. However, the repeal would not take effect until 90 days after the adjournment of the Arizona legislature.

Meanwhile, Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes has requested an additional 90 days from the Arizona Supreme Court to consider whether to appeal the decision to the US Supreme Court.

The Civil War-era ban, enacted in 1864 and codified in 1901 before Arizona attained statehood in 1912, remained in force until 1973. Following the landmark Roe v Wade decision, the law was blocked by a court injunction. However, the state Supreme Court’s recent ruling has reinstated it as state law.

For abortion rights advocates, the repeal marks the culmination of years of activism. Democratic State Sen Priya Sundareshan highlighted the party’s commitment to reproductive rights, lamenting the necessity to coax Republicans into supporting the repeal.

“We had to drag Republicans over the finish line,” she said in a statement.

Even after the repeal, Democrats intend to challenge the 15-week limit, criticizing its lack of exceptions for rape or incest. They plan to target vulnerable House Republicans over their past anti-abortion votes at the state legislature level, CNN reported.

Social media reactions

Social media erupted with reactions following the Senate vote, with many celebrating the victory for reproductive rights and applauding bipartisan cooperation.

"Another common sense victory," one posted on X. 

"That's good government working together," another gushed.

"Congratulations to the women of Arizona. In my opinion, men cannot restrict abortion rights in any way," a comment read.

"Now that’s how government should work! For the benefit of the people in this case women!" someone else rejoiced.

"AZ... take note of the 14 who voted against this measure," another insisted.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.