Arizona Senate passes 15-week abortion restriction

The Arizona Senate passed a bill on Tuesday to restrict abortion to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. Senate Bill 1164 would make it illegal to abort a preborn child after 15 weeks except in situations in which the mother’s life is at risk (however, abortion is never medically necessary). If the bill becomes law, any abortionist who breaks it could lose his or her medical license and face felony charges.

“The baby inside of a woman is a separate life and needs to be protected,” said Sen. Nancy Barto (R), chief sponsor of the bill. “All life is sacred.”

There were 13,003 abortions committed on Arizona residents in 2019, according to a state report. Of those, 12,096 abortions were carried out prior to 15 weeks. Eleven abortions were carried out between 14 and 20 weeks due to a maternal medication condition that included social situations and vomiting. That leaves approximately 900 babies a year that could be saved from abortion by this 15-week restriction, should it become law.

“Preborn babies at 15 weeks gestation have fully formed noses, eyelids, and lips, as well as developing hearts, kidneys, and other organs,” Center for Arizona Policy President Cathi Herrod told LifeNews. “They suck their thumbs, and they feel pain. Today, those babies are one step closer to protection.”

2nd Trimester Surgical Abortion: Dilation and Evacuation (D & E)

An abortion at 15 weeks is typically carried out using the D&E procedure (shown in the video above) in which the preborn child is killed when her arms and legs are ripped from her torso by the abortionist using a Sopher clamp. Her head is then crushed.

Mississippi’s own 15-week abortion restriction is currently being considered by the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. That decision is expected in June and will determine if that law and proposed similar laws in states like Arizona and Florida are constitutional.

READ: New report highlights humanity of a preborn child at 15 weeks

At an Arizona Senate committee hearing on Thursday concerning the 15-week abortion restriction, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union claimed that the bill should not pass because abortions “save lives.” ACLU lobbyist Victora Lopez argued, “It is about our dignity, our humanity, and our freedom. It is about saving lives.”

However, abortion always kills at least one human being and potentially leaves the mother physically and emotionally scarred. Women who have abortions are at risk of hemorrhage, infection, uterine perforation, and other injuries, and are also at an increased risk of depression, drug use, and suicidal thoughts.

The bill now moves on to the House for consideration.

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