Rolling Back the Clock: Arizona Supreme Court Resurrects "Zombie Law" Banning Nearly All Abortions

In a historic ruling, Arizona’s conservative Supreme Court has upheld an 1864 law banning almost all abortions in the state. The court sent out this warning: “Physicians are now on notice that all abortions, except those necessary to save a woman’s life, are illegal.” The 160-year-old law predates Arizona becoming a state and was passed decades before women could even vote. Although Arizona’s Attorney General Kris Mayes said she will not enforce the “draconian law,” the ruling sent shockwaves across the nation. “The central strategy of the anti-abortion movement is to roll back the clock to the Victorian era, because they know that they cannot win through the democratic process,” says Amy Littlefield, abortion access correspondent at The Nation, who says conservatives supporting these unpopular restrictions face an uphill battle this fall. “Democrats are banking on this being a huge way to lift their boats in the next election.” Activists are preparing a November ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the Arizona Constitution, and reproductive rights will be a key issue in the state’s closely watched Senate race.