Arizona Overturns Will of GOP and Rewrites Abortion Law in Major Win
On Tuesday, Arizona voters chose to expand access to abortion and enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.
Arizonians passed the Arizona Abortion Access Act, or Proposition 139, which establishes the right to an abortion until viability, which is usually considered to be around 24 weeks. The measure also creates exceptions after fetal viability to protect the life, or physical or mental health, of the pregnant person.
Earlier this year, Arizona politicians undid a near-total abortion ban, repealing a Civil War–era abortion ban. Prior to voters taking to the polls, the state had a far more restrictive 15-week abortion ban on the books.
Seven states chose to protect or expand abortion access this election (eight states if you include Florida, where a majority of voters passed a pro-abortion ballot measure but did not meet the required 60 percent threshold).
One bit of damper on this good news: In states like Arizona, where abortion rights have been expanded, state Supreme Courts will ultimately, and frighteningly, have the final say.