Arizona Republicans Stymie Attempts To Repeal 1864 Abortion Ban
AP reports the Arizona Legislature collapsed into shouts of "shame!" as GOP lawmakers twice shut down discussion of winding back the state's strict abortion ban. Also: How the GOP molded the court that made that decision, and the man behind the original law.
AP:
Shouts Of ‘Shame! Shame!’ Erupt In Arizona House As Fight Over Abortion Ban Engulfs Lawmakers
The Arizona Legislature devolved into shouts of “Shame! Shame!” on Wednesday as Republican lawmakers quickly shut down discussion on a proposed repeal of the state’s newly revived 1864 law that criminalizes abortion throughout pregnancy unless a woman’s life is at risk. ... House Democrats and at least one Republican tried to open discussion on a repeal of the 1864 abortion ban, which holds no exceptions for rape or incest. GOP leaders, who command the majority, cut it off twice and quickly adjourned for the week. Outraged Democrats erupted in finger-waving chants of “Shame! Shame!” (Snow and Lee, 4/11)
The New York Times:
How The G.O.P. Molded The Arizona Court That Upheld The Abortion Ban
To better understand the court itself, look no further than the year 2016, when Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, successfully expanded the court’s membership from five to seven justices. By the time Mr. Ducey left office at the end of 2022, he had easily eclipsed the state record for judicial appointments to various courts. He had also changed the nominating process by which judges are selected, essentially giving more power to the governor. (Chen and Wines, 4/10)
NBC News:
At Arizona Abortion Clinics, Chaos And Confusion After Court Ruling On 1864 Ban
Abortion providers in Arizona faced chaos and confusion after the state’s highest court on Tuesday ruled that a 160-year-old abortion ban is enforceable, throwing abortion access into question. Dr. DeShawn Taylor, founder and president of the Phoenix-based Desert Star Institute for Family Planning, said she was initially unsure how quickly the change could go into effect, so she rushed her staff to call seven patients with appointments on Tuesday to ask them to come in earlier in the day. (Victoria Lozano and Bendix, 4/10)
Los Angeles Times:
Arizona's 1864 Abortion Ban Was Modeled On California's
William Howell, a New Yorker tasked with writing the code that would enshrine Arizona as a territory, cracked open the law books of a neighboring state as a model: California. In California’s laws, William Howell found and included — almost word-for-word — its provision on abortion. The paragraph is tucked into a section of Arizona code about punishment for poisoning another person. (Pinho and Wilson, 4/10)
Also —
NPR:
How Far Do You Have To Travel To Access An Abortion? Maps Show New State Bans
In a few weeks, Florida and Arizona are set to join most states in the southern U.S. in banning abortion. ... Caitlin Myers, an economics professor at Middlebury College in Vermont, has been tracking abortion facilities and travel distances since 2009. She analyzed how these latest rulings will affect the access map. "Because of these bans, it's about 6 million women of reproductive age who are experiencing an increase in distance of more than 200 miles," she says. (Simmons-Duffin and Fung, 4/11)
The Washington Post:
In States With Abortion Bans, Women Often Take The Pill Alone, Afraid
Overwhelming evidence shows that abortion pills are safe and effective. But the experience can feel very different in states where abortion is illegal. As more women in states with abortion bans choose to end their pregnancies on their own, without directly interacting with a medical professional, they are thrust into a largely ad hoc, unregulated system of online and grass-roots abortion pill distributors — an experience that, while deemed generally safe by medical experts, can be confusing, scary and, at times, deeply traumatic. (Kitchener, 4/11)
