In a shocking turn of events, Arizona will soon become the 15th state to ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy.
The state Supreme Court’s ruling on Tuesday determined that officials can enforce a law from 1864 that criminalizes all abortions. The law makes exceptions for maternal life, but not for rape or incest.
This decision has sent shockwaves through the state and the nation, ahead of Arizona’s expected role as a swing state in the upcoming election.
The court has stated that enforcement of this old law will not begin for at least two weeks, but it could take up to two months based on an agreement reached in a related case in Arizona.
For what it’s worth, the AP VoteCast found that 6 out of 10 Arizona voters in the 2022 midterm elections would favor guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.
The law carries a sentence of two to five years for abortion providers or for accomplices in the procedure.
Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican who signed the state’s current law restricting abortion after 15 weeks, expressed his disappointment with the ruling on social media platform X.
He suggested that the complete ban goes too far.
“I signed the 15-week law as governor because it is thoughtful policy, and an approach to this very sensitive issue that Arizonans can actually agree on,” he said.
The day before the ruling, former President Donald Trump expressed support for leaving the issue to the states, but he urged the states to consider political feasibility.
“The states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both. And whatever they decide must be the law of the land… Now, it’s up to the states to do the right thing,” Trump said in a video statement. “We must win… We have to win.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.