Advocates Raise Alarm Over New Arizona Bills Threatening Reproductive Rights

On Wednesday morning, Reproductive Freedom for All Arizona (RFAA) and Democratic legislators convened at the state Capitol to express their opposition to recently proposed measures aimed at restricting reproductive rights.

The event marked the start of RFAA’s lobbying day, highlighting the significance of last year’s Proposition 139, which sought to enshrine the right to abortion within the state constitution. “(Prop. 139) was a victory for the people, a victory for health care and a victory for our right to make decisions about our own bodies,” stated House Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos, D-Laveen. However, he lamented that Republican politicians appear determined to undermine this achievement.

Concerns were specifically raised regarding House Concurrent Resolutions HCR 2058 and HCR 2025, which address exceptions to abortion rights along with proposed amendments to the state constitution. Additionally, objections were made against House Bill 2547, introduced by Rep. Lupe Diaz, R-Benson, which would prevent the state from funding or contracting with any organization involved in abortions or operating related facilities.

“One of the reasons I brought this about is because it was evident that the abortion industry has a ton of money already,” Diaz mentioned during a February 19 committee hearing. “We don’t need to be using our tax dollars to promote, fund, or maintain the abortion industry.” HCR 2058, brought forth by Rep. Rachel Keshel, R-Tucson, is currently stalled, while HCR 2025, primarily sponsored by Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, had its third House reading on Wednesday.

De Los Santos emphasized the necessity for voters to remain vigilant, recognizing that certain bills have resurged in previous legislative sessions. Athena Salman, RFAA’s Arizona campaigns director, expressed her enthusiasm over the Maricopa County Superior Court’s ruling that declared the state’s 15-week abortion ban unconstitutional. Nonetheless, she cautioned that both the court ruling and the successful passing of Prop. 139 are merely the initial steps in addressing ongoing threats to reproductive rights.

“Having endured the last Republican trifecta with a hostile majority and a governor who did not respect the right to abortion, we cannot let that happen again,” Salman reflected on her time as a state representative from 2017 to 2023. “So we are rolling up our sleeves.”

Attendee Catherine Schwandt, who advocated during the pivotal 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, remarked on the dwindling bipartisanship surrounding the issue. “It wasn’t so divided. This is more about a power struggle over women,” she asserted.

De Los Santos also shared the deep concerns of his constituents regarding the future of reproductive rights in Arizona. “They are shocked and scared,” he stated. “They cannot believe politicians would seek to override the will of the people, and they fear their healthcare will be engulfed in chaos and uncertainty.”