The outside of the State Senate building at the Capitol in Phoenix.
A state Senate committee voted Thursday to ban abortions after 15 weeks.
Senate Bill 1164 would only allow exceptions in medical emergencies.
Sen. Nancy Barto, a Republican from Phoenix sponsoring the bill, says it is meant to align with a similar Mississippi ban the U.S. Supreme Court is now considering upholding.
"If the U.S. Supreme Court allows limiting abortion to 15 weeks, Arizona law should follow that," she told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Opponents argued the bill would not stop abortions, only make abortions less accessible and more dangerous for people with the least access to health care.
"The bill in front of you will decide whether those without the means will be forced to carry an abortion against their will or seek unsafe, back alley methods of terminating a pregnancy," said Marilyn Rodriguez, representing Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona.
The bill passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party line vote of 5-3.
The measure still faces a vote of the full Senate.
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