• Press Release

EMILYs List Statement on Arizona Democrats Repealing Total Abortion Ban

May 1, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Arizona state Senate voted in agreement with the state House to repeal the Civil War-era total abortion ban, sending the legislation to the desk of pro-choice champion Gov. Katie Hobbs, who will sign it into law. This ban will be repealed thanks to the hard work of Democrats, but the state of Arizona will still remain under a 15-week ban that does not allow exceptions for rape or incest. The repeal will not take effect until 90 days after the legislative session ends, so unless a Court stays the total ban, the total ban will go into effect until then. Democratic pro-choice champion Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is currently working on securing a stay to delay the total ban even further. EMILYs List President Jessica Mackler released the following statement in response: 

“Today’s repeal of this dangerous, draconian ban is a step in the right direction. Because Democratic pro-choice champions did not give up, millions of Arizonans will soon be able to continue to access reproductive health care that would have otherwise been out of reach.

“However, even though this total ban will no longer be law, Arizonans will still live under an existing 15-week ban that puts their lives and health at risk, with pregnant people and survivors of rape and incest unable to get care. Most Arizona Republicans across the state remain staunch supporters of bans and will continue to work to restrict abortion at every turn. We must not let them pretend they are anything less than anti-choice extremists who are willing to do whatever it takes to take away our freedom, including lying to voters about their true intentions.

“With so much at stake, it is more critical than ever that we flip both chambers of the state Legislature this November and deliver a Democratic trifecta to the people of Arizona that will restore, protect, and expand abortion access. We know it’s possible — and we’re ready to fight.”

This year, EMILYs List has endorsed six Democratic pro-choice women for reelection to the Arizona state legislature who will continue to protect abortion access: 

  • Judy Schwiebert, Senate-LD02
  • Christine Marsh, Senate-LD04
  • Eva Burch, Senate-LD09
  • Lorena Austin, House-LD09
  • Betty Villegas, House-LD20
  • Quantá Crews, House-LD26

EMILYs List also supported Gov. Katie Hobbs’ 2022 run for governor and has stood with her throughout her career, endorsing her in 2010 and 2012 for Arizona’s state Legislature and in 2018 for secretary of state.

EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, works to elect Democratic pro-choice women up and down the ballot and across the country with a goal of fighting for our rights and our communities. Our work is centered around a fundamental vision: Run. Win. Change the World. EMILYs List has raised $850 million in service to that vision and has helped Democratic women win competitive elections by recruiting and training candidates, supporting and helping build strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, running one of the largest independent expenditure operations for Democrats, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect the country’s first woman as vice president, 175 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 20 governors, and over 1,500 women to state and local office. More than 40% of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Visit www.emilyslist.org for more information.