In the United States, the lower house of Arizona votes to abolish an 1864 law banning abortion

While the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that an 1864 law banning almost all abortions was applicable on April 9, the State’s House of Representatives voted to abolish this ancient text on Wednesday April 24. It was the third attempt in three weeks, after the rallying of three Republican elected officials. The state Senate is now expected to hold a vote on the issue next week, explained the NBC channel.

This law, condemned by Joe Biden and criticized in a more moderate way by Donald Trump. prohibited all abortions from the moment of conception, unless the mother’s life was in danger. Neither rape nor incest were considered valid exceptions.

A law that has remained dormant for decades

This law became applicable again briefly after the April 9 decision by the Arizona Supreme Court. The fact that this text, which had remained dormant for decades, was able to come into force again resulted from the decision of June 2022. This judgment takes note of the reversal of jurisprudence of the Supreme Court of the United States which restored full latitude to the States to legislate in this area. Since then, around twenty have banned or severely restricted access to abortion.

decision “to reimpose a law dating from a time when Arizona was not a state, when the Civil War was raging and when women could not even vote, will go down in history as a stain on our state”, lamented the attorney general of Arizona, Democrat, on April 9. After the decision of the House of Representatives, she reacted on “grateful that reason prevailed today”and rejoicing in “the repeal of a draconian and almost total ban on abortion”.