SW News: Catholic conferences in the American states of Arizona and Florida have congratulated the efforts taken by the lawmakers to advance bills prohibiting abortion after 15 weeks of gestation.

It was on February 15 that the Arizona Senate passed the legislation that has now moved to the House. Two days later, the Florida House passed a similar bill banning abortions after 15 weeks and it was sent to the Senate. Both legislations reflect the Mississippi fetal heartbeat bill which is being examined by the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. It is expected that both bills will be passed and they will be signed by the respective governors.

According to Arizona Catholic Conference executive director Ronald Johnson, the passing of the pro-life bill is timely enough. He said the vote on the bill allows the legislature to pass it before the session ends on June 30. Thus, it can go into effect on September 28. “Most people expect a 15-week ban to be upheld, and then we’ll be in a good spot that this bill will take effect a little bit after the Supreme Court rules,” Johnson said. “Otherwise, we would have to wait until next year to start it and it probably wouldn’t become effective until Fall 2023.”

“It’s encouraging,” said Michael Sheedy, the executive director of the Florida Catholic Conference. “We support shrinking that window in which abortions can be obtained in Florida, and we think this is certainly a good step that goes beyond what we thought might have been possible before Dobbs v. Jackson.”

The outcome of Dobbs v. Jackson will decide what goes into effect in both states. If the ruling is not pro-life, then it could throttle the laws enacted by Arizona and Florida. On the other hand, if the Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of Mississippi’s fetal heartbeat law, then the poignant question is whether or not they overturn Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion across the country in 1973. In case the ruling is overturned then it is for the states to decide on abortions.

If Roe v. Wade is repealed, then Arizona along with Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin resuscitate their old laws that prohibit abortions. However, there are no such pre-Roe laws in Florida. In case the Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of the Mississippi law and desists from ruling on Roe v. Wade, the two bills in Arizona and Florida will go into effect.