Arizona Republicans blocked a Democratic effort to repeal a controversial abortion ban from 1864, which was recently reinstated by the state’s Supreme Court.
According to NBC, Democrats made an attempt on Wednesday to introduce a bill during a state House legislative session, aiming to repeal the ban. However, their efforts faced a setback as two votes to discuss the bill failed.
Republican House Speaker Ben Toma urged everyone in the chamber to acknowledge and respect the belief held by some that abortion constitutes the murder of children, as reported by NBC.
Many Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake, have criticized the ban and are seeking reelection later this year. However, it is worth noting that Lake actually supported the ban when she campaigned for governor two years ago.
In response to the ban, Trump expressed his opinion last week, stating that he believed it had gone too far. He confidently mentioned that the situation would be resolved and expressed his belief that the governor and others involved would work towards bringing it back to a more reasonable state.
The new law imposes a comprehensive ban on abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, unless the pregnant individual’s life is at risk. Anyone found guilty of providing or assisting in obtaining an abortion can face imprisonment for up to five years.
Before the ban, women in Arizona had the option to undergo abortions up until the 15th week of pregnancy.
