Abortion

Arizona Senate Passes 20-Week Abortion Ban

The ban, as well as numerous other restrictions, must head back to the House for final approval.

Sen. Nancy Barto. [img src]

Arizona is one step closer to passing a ban on all abortions after 20 weeks except in the case of medical emergencies. The same bill contains other restrictions.

HB 2036, an omnibus package of anti-choice legislation that includes extending the waiting period for an abortion to 24 hours, sending women to a website that will show her fetal development in two week increments and the information for places willing to help with newborn adoptions, and making the abortion of a fetus after 20 weeks a crime punishable by 6 months in jail, has now passed the state Senate.

The ban, which is based on the medically dis-proven claim that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks, offers no exception in cases of fetal anomaly or of a non-viable fetus.

Sen. Nancy Barto, the bill’s sponsor, says the ban is necessary not just for the well-being of the fetus, but to ensure the health of the mother as well. “Barto also said there is evidence that the later along a pregnancy, the greater the chance of complications for the mother,” according to the Yuma Sun.

The bill will now return to the House for a final vote. The original bill was unable to pass the House committee the first time, and was added to a bill that had already been approved in order to get passage and move on to the Senate. The bill will go directly to a House vote rather than pass through committee this go around.