AZ: Dems say Republicans broke rules by ignoring attempts to force a vote on an abortion ban repeal

Two top Arizona Senate Democrats have filed an ethics complaint against Senate President Warren Petersen and President Pro Tem T.J. Shope for violating procedures by shutting down Democrats’ attempts last week to repeal the 1864 abortion ban.

The complaint addresses an occurrence on the Senate floor on April 10, where Democrats claim Shope failed to recognize Sen. Anna Hernandez and Senate Minority Leader Mitzi Epstien after both had made proper attempts to speak. Rather than recognizing the several motions made by the Democratic senators, the body instead adjourned.

“Senator Anna Hernandez rose to make a motion, and was not recognized. As soon as the majority leader made the motion to adjourn, I called for a substitute motion. Both of those are in order and should have been recognized. Instead, I think our mics were off,” Epstein recalled at an April 15 press conference.

Hernandez had planned to move an amendment to House Bill 2241 that would have repealed the 1864 near-total ban on abortion that, just the day before, the Arizona Supreme Court had ruled was enforceable. Other Senate Democrats had prepared speeches to go along with their votes.


https://azmirror.com/2024/04/15/dems-say-republicans-broke-senate-rules-by-ignoring-attempts-to-force-a-vote-on-an-abortion-ban-repeal/