URGENT ACTION ALERT: Contact Your Legislators TODAY to Support HB2677
On April 9, the Arizona Supreme Court voted to uphold the 1864 territorial law banning abortive procedures and implementing prison sentences for doctors who provide this type of care. This law originally took precedent in 2022 after the Dobbs decision that overturned the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision, but had been challenged multiple times through the Arizona courts.
LAMA Perspective
The ELCA’s Social Statement on Abortion, adopted in 1991, offers us a guiding framework in the wake of this decision:
“The language used in discussing abortion should ignore neither the value of unborn life nor the value of the woman and her other relationships. It should neither obscure the moral seriousness of the decision faced by the woman nor hide the moral value of the newly conceived life. Nor is it helpful to use the language of ‘rights’ in absolute ways that imply that no other significant moral claims intrude. A developing life in the womb does not have an absolute right to be born, nor does a pregnant woman have an absolute right to terminate a pregnancy. The concern for both the life of the woman and the developing life in her womb expresses a common commitment to life. This requires that we move beyond the usual ‘prolife’ versus ‘pro-choice’ language in discussing abortion.”
As the Social Statement explores, abortive procedures happen for many, many different reasons, and every woman considering this procedure is at her own crossroads. During last night’s LAMA Liaison Roundtable, the group discussed this topic. Several folks brought up Matthew 7:1, in which Christ begins his Sermon on the Mount with, “Judge not, lest you be judged.” As Christians, we are called to love, accompany, and help our neighbors in need. In this case especially, that requires something different in every situation from ensuring mothers are able to access food and diapers for their newborns, to ensuring that women are able to safely and reliably access life-saving care.
Many of the LAMA Liaisons expressed concern over the ruling on this law from 1864. Any abortion-related policy that is as blanketing and rigid as this is far too lacking in nuance to actually meet the needs of the people in Arizona. As Christians, we find ourselves called to protecting those in need, which laws like this ignore.
Furthermore, this law was written during the chaos of the American Civil War and Arizona’s territorial period. This law was enacted 50 years before statehood, before women and minorities were able to vote, and before doctors even understood the importance of sterilizing their tools. A law from so long ago does not accurately reflect our modern knowledge or our state’s current needs. The Arizona criminal code was also written in the hopes of ensuring law and order remained in the rough frontier that was Arizona, and this clause specifically tries to ensure that no one would force a woman to miscarry or coerce her into terminating a pregnancy; this objective does not fully speak to the breadth of and motivation behind abortive care in 2024. To learn more about the historical context of this law, read Heather Cox Richardson’s essay on her blog, Letters From An American.
Tomorrow’s Vote
With this context in mind, one of our LAMA Community members advised today that the legislature plans to begin the process of voting to repeal the 1864 law tomorrow, Wednesday, April 17th, and asked us to alert our network.
There have already been a few pushes to repeal or circumvent this law, but since the Court’s ruling, lawmakers have rallied. In January, Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton (LD21), also an ordained minister through the Presbyterian Church (USA), introduced HB2677, a simple bill which would repeal the 1864 law. This bill has not been heard in any committee, which at this point in the session would usually mean that it has no future. However, lawmakers can motion to consider a law on the floor anyway, and if at least 31 lawmakers agree, the rules will be waived.
Since there has been a large public outcry over the ruling, several lawmakers have joined in the support of a repeal and, according to most sources, there are enough votes for HB2677 to potentially pass the House. Stahl Hamilton’s bill has already been read on the floor twice, so it only needs to be voted on.
If the bill passes and is transmitted to the Senate, it would still need to be read three times on the floor before going to a vote. However, lawmakers hope to move swiftly, and the law could be passed in as little as three days. After the repeal, other laws will be considered to decide how abortion care will work in our state.
To read more about the impending vote, you can find the Arizona Republic article here.
Take Action
Today, we invite you to join LAMA in contacting our Arizona Representatives and Senators to let them know that you support a repeal of the 1864 abortion ban BEFORE they begin voting tomorrow. Below you can find a copy-and-paste email sample and a phone script. As always, you are encouraged to personalize your messages. Thank you for your advocacy!
To find your lawmakers and their contact information, please click here.
Subject Line: Support HB2677
Dear Rep./Sen. _____,
My name is [Your Name], and I am your constituent in LD__. Today I am writing to you in support of HB2677.
Lawmakers in the House plan to motion to vote on HB2677 tomorrow, Wednesday, April 17th; this bill would repeal the standing 1864 statute outlawing most abortions in our state. I hope you will vote in favor of this bill to protect the health and safety of millions of Arizonans.
I am a faithful Christian, and my faith calls me to accompany people who find themselves at vulnerable crossroads in life. Women seek abortive care for many, many different and unique reasons, and laws such as this one erase the nuances and delicacies of each individual situation. This law violates my calling to advocate with compassionate care for the wellbeing of all people, and it does not reflect my values or beliefs. I hope to see this bill repealed through HB2677, and I hope you will join the effort to recognize the dignity of all Arizonans and the necessity of reproductive care.
Thank you for your hard work on behalf of everyone from LD__, and your efforts to ensure safety for all Arizonans.
[Sign Your Name]
To call your legislators offices, find their phone numbers here. Ask to leave a message about a policy with their assistant, and leave a comment like this one:
My name is ____ and I am a constituent in Legislative District ___. I am calling today in support of HB 2677, and to urge Rep./Sen. ____ to vote “Yes” on this bill in the coming days. This bill seeks to repeal the currently upheld 1864 law banning abortive care in our state.
I am a faithful Christian, and my faith compels me to meet the needs of my neighbors when they are vulnerable. The current law ignores the nuances around reproductive care and I believe that we need laws that reflect the difficulties and intricacies that women face in their real lives. It is important to me that every person is able to receive the care they need, which looks different in every situation.
I hope you will support HB 2677 and protect the safety of all Arizonans.
Thank you for your work in service of all Arizionans!
