- Arizona Republicans blocked attempts by Democrats in the state legislature to advance bills repealing the state’s 1864 abortion law.
- The state Supreme Court’s decision cleared the way for one of the strictest abortion laws in the U.S. to go into effect with no exceptions for rape or incest.
- Trump said Arizona ruling “went too far” but called it a “state issue”
The Arizona legislature descended into chaos as Democrats shouted “shame” and accused Republicans of “having blood on their hands” after GOP lawmakers blocked efforts to repeal the state’s 1864 law banning abortion.
Republicans in both chambers on Wednesday rejected attempts by Democrats in both chambers to advance bills to repeal the 160-year-old Civil War law banning abortion without exceptions for rape and incest.
Democratic lawmakers could be heard shouting at their Republican colleagues to “protect reproductive freedom” and “save women’s lives” as Republicans began to walk away.
One legislator shouted that they were “turning their backs” on the people of Arizona.
Another senator could be heard saying: “So the message to Arizona that we are so pro-life in this chamber that we are going to kill you?”
The effort came a day after the Arizona Supreme Court issued a bombshell decision that Arizona could enforce the 1864 law that effectively bans abortion in the state in all cases except to save the life of the mother.
Both chambers of the Arizona state legislature are controlled by Republicans.
Arizona State Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton speaking at the Capitol on April 10. She introduced HB2677, which would repeal the state’s 1864 abortion law.
Protesters in Tucson, AZ, after the Arizona Supreme Court revived a law dating back to 1864 that bans abortion without exceptions for rape or incest.
In the House, Republicans voted to go into recess without taking up the bill to repeal the 1864 law.
House Democrats criticized Republicans who expressed support for repealing the territorial ban as “cowardly” and voted to delay it.
“The world is watching and saying our legislature would rather uphold a cruel law that strips anyone of control of their body than enact compassion,” said Democratic Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton.
The state Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday paves the way for Arizona to have one of the strictest abortion laws in the country since Roe v Wade was overturned, sending the issue back to the states in 2022.
The ruling could have a major impact on women’s health care across the state and sent political shockwaves across the country: President Biden and Democrats criticized the decision, while some Republicans also claimed it went too far.
Trump, speaking in Atlanta on Wednesday, said Arizona had gone too far and claimed it would be “fixed” just hours before state Republicans blocked efforts to repeal the 1864 law.
Former President Donald Trump was asked by reporters if Arizona went “too far” earlier Wednesday during a visit to Atlanta.
“Yes, they did, and it will be fixed,” Trump said. ‘As you know, this is about states’ rights. That will be solved.
He claimed that this would come back to “reason” very quickly.
Trump also said he believes Florida will change after the state Supreme Court cleared the way for a six-week ban last week, but Trump said “it all depends on the will of the people.”
On Monday, Trump released a video statement saying he believes abortion is a state issue and touted the overturning of Roe v Wade.
Democrats criticized him after the Arizona Supreme Court revived the 1864 ban, saying that’s what it means for abortion to be a “states” issue.
Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs speaking to reporters at the state Capitol in Phoenix on April 9 after the state Supreme Court decision. She called the ruling “unconscionable.” She called on the state legislature to immediately repeal the 1864 law and vowed that the fight is not over.
After the Arizona ruling was handed down, the state’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, called on the legislature to immediately repeal the ban.
“The devastating impact this abortion ban will have on women’s health is simply inconceivable,” she said in a post.
Hobbs issued a statement in response to House Republicans blocking repeal of the law.
“The extremist Republican majority had the opportunity to do what was right for their constituents and they failed,” he said.
“As they have done time and again, radical lawmakers protected a Civil War-era total abortion ban that imprisons doctors, strips women of our bodily autonomy, and puts our lives at risk,” she added.
The governor insisted that she remains committed to repealing the ban.
Vice President Kamala Harris is also heading to Tucson on Friday.
He has led the charge in the Biden administration to advocate for abortion access after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision ended federal abortion rights and returned the issue to the states.