Senate narrowly votes against
Abortion ban of 1864 fails in Arizona
May 2, 2024, 7:42 a.m
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It was close, but a success for women in the US state of Arizona: After the House of Representatives, the Senate also voted against reactivating the abortion ban from 1864. That would have made almost any abortion impossible.
In the US state of Arizona, parliament has averted the permanent reintroduction of a 160-year-old abortion ban. The state Supreme Court in April allowed the controversial 1864 law to be reinstated. However, Parliament opposed this even before this regulation came into force. After the House of Representatives, the Arizona Senate also voted on Wednesday by a narrow majority of 16 to 14 to repeal the 19th century ban on abortion. It prohibits abortions at all stages of pregnancy, even in cases of rape or incest. Exceptions only exist if the life of the woman concerned is at risk.
The Democratic Governor of Arizona, Katie Hobbs, still has to sign the law repealing Prohibition from 1864, but this is a formality. Hobbs had campaigned to stop the return to the ancient arrangement. On Platform According to US media, the controversial abortion ban of 1864 could possibly come into force in Arizona for a short time because the repeal law that has now been passed is only taking effect with a delay.
The ban does not directly criminalize women who seek an abortion, but rather people who help them do so – such as doctors. Although the law became invalid in 1973 with the nationwide constitutionally protected right to abortion in the USA – it was never actually abolished.
In June 2022, the Supreme Court with its conservative majority overturned the nationwide right to abortion, which had been in effect for almost 50 years. Since then, the states have been able to decide independently on rules regarding abortion. This has created a legal patchwork. Abortions are now practically banned in various federal states, while elsewhere legislation remains quite liberal compared to German conditions. In Arizona, abortions are currently banned after 15 weeks of pregnancy.