Arizona Republicans are considering ways to counter a potential abortion rights ballot initiative in the state. They are exploring the possibility of introducing two ballot initiatives of their own that would restrict abortion to either six weeks or the beginning of the 15th week of pregnancy. This comes in response to the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to revive a near-total abortion ban that threatens doctors with prison sentences. Arizona for Abortion Access, a coalition of abortion rights advocates, has gathered signatures for a constitutional amendment to protect abortion until fetal viability, around 22 to 24 weeks.
The draft proposal, drafted by Linley Wilson, general counsel to Arizona House Republicans, aims to offer alternatives that could draw support away from efforts to enshrine access to abortion in the state constitution. Republicans have been under pressure to address abortion rights following the state Supreme Court decision, and the proposal is part of a multiphase approach to either block the passage of the Arizona for Abortion Access initiative or protect lawmakers’ ability to regulate abortion access. The move is also seen as a way to shift the regulation of abortion from the legislature to voters.
Abortion rights groups have been successful with ballot initiatives in several states since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Arizona for Abortion Access criticized the draft strategy memo, calling it a political scheme aimed at creating chaos. The group emphasized the importance of not leaving basic rights in the hands of politicians. Despite calls from some Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and Senate candidate Kari Lake, to work with the Democratic governor on a fix, the proposed strategy takes a different path by pursuing multiple phases to change the narrative and potentially shift votes away from the abortion rights initiative.
Under the proposed Phase 1, lawmakers would add a measure to the November ballot allowing regulation of practices such as parental consent and restrictions on who can perform abortions. In Phase 2, the legislature would refer a six-week ban and a measure allowing abortion only until the beginning of the 15th week, aimed at providing options to voters as alternatives to the abortion rights initiative. The proposal also includes an option for conditional enactment of the initiative, stating it is not absolute and allowing for regulations on abortion for reasons such as mitigating fetal pain.
It remains unclear if Republicans will have enough support to move forward with the plan laid out in the memo, as they hold narrow majorities in the state House and Senate. The document ends with a meme featuring talk show host Seth Meyers that says “Boom. Easy as that,” perhaps indicating a sense of confidence in their strategy. The story continues to develop, with House Republicans scheduled to meet again to address the issue and potentially take steps toward implementing the proposed strategy.
