Arizona lawmakers have successfully garnered enough votes on Wednesday in the State Capitol in Phoenix, Arizona, the seat of the government to repeal a historic abortion ban dating back to 1864.

Lawmakers from different political parties, Democrats and Republicans, came together in a collaborative effort, known as bipartisan, to support this legislative action. 

According to the New York Times, every Democratic senator and two Republican senators deviated from their party’s typically anti-abortion stance to support a bill aimed at repealing an abortion ban. 

The bill is on the brink of passing in the Republican-controlled State Senate, indicating that it has a high likelihood of becoming law despite opposition from within the party.

The repeal, if signed into law by Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, would mark the end of a longstanding restriction that predated women’s suffrage and became a focal point of Arizona’s political landscape.

The repeal debate has drawn significant attention from both Democrats and Republicans. Democrats are actively supporting the effort, while Republicans are experiencing internal divisions regarding the political consequences of backing a near-total abortion ban.

The resurgence of the 1864 law as a contentious issue came after a recent State Supreme Court decision cleared the way for its enforcement, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

Republican senators T.J. Shope and Shawnna Bolick joined forces with Democrats to push the repeal bill forward, despite firm opposition from far-right Republicans.

Senator Bolick, shared her own personal experience with abortion, underscoring the complexity of the issue. 

However, she also emphasized her commitment to protecting unborn children, highlighting the delicate balance between reproductive rights and fetal protection.

Stating one of her pregnancies that ended with an abortion procedure in her first trimester because of the nonviable foetus, she complained and asked “Would Arizona’s pre-Roe law have allowed me to have this medical procedure even though my life wasn’t in danger?” 

The atmosphere was emotionally charged in the Senate chamber, as abortion opponents voiced their disapproval with loud protests from the public gallery, making statements such as “This is a disgrace!” “One day you will face a just and holy God!”

Despite the fervent opposition, the repeal of Arizona’s historic abortion ban signals a significant shift in the state’s reproductive rights landscape, setting the stage for further debate and action on this deeply divisive issue.