June 13th, 2024
ARIZONA-Following Senate Republicans blocking the vote on the “Right to Contraceptives Act”, Senate Republicans shot down the “Right to IVF Act,” which would protect access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) as Republicans across the country continue to undermine reproductive healthcare.
“While Arizona Republicans fail us, Senate Democrats are doing everything they can to protect reproductive healthcare and our abortion rights,” said Chairwoman of the Arizona Democratic Party Yolanda Bejarano. “Republicans at every level of the ballot are following Donald Trump’s orders here in Arizona, and are working to strip access to IVF, Contraceptives, and abortion. Arizonans are seeing the contrast when it comes to abortion rights, and are ready to vote for Democrats up and down the ticket to protect our rights.”
Earlier this year, the Alabama Supreme Court effectively halted IVF access for families in their state, ruling that frozen embryos from in vitro fertilization (IVF) are considered “unborn children.”
In Arizona, every single Congressional Republican has supported the Life at Conception Act, with Rep. David Schweikert sponsoring the bill six times since he’s been in office. If passed, the Life at Conception Act would ban abortion and put IVF on the chopping block.
In January, nearly every Democratic member of the Arizona Senate and House caucus co-sponsored the Right to Contraception Act, SB1362 and HB2678. Despite this, the bill never received a hearing in either chamber. In March, legislative Democrats attempted to force a vote on this bill, following an Alabama court ruling that made IVF illegal. However, Republican legislators unanimously blocked the bill. Among those blocking a vote, were all 14 Republican incumbents in battleground districts.
These votes to protect contraception and IVF are happening at the same time Arizonans are left uncertain about if or when the 1864 abortion ban, championed by local MAGA extremists, with no exceptions for rape or incest will be allowed to take effect.
Arizona Democrats are prepared to fight for abortion rights up and down the ticket. To learn more about key initiatives, how to vote, or how to support Democrats this election cycle, please visit azdem.org.
###