An Arizona bill, introduced by Representative Walt Blackman (R-AZ), that would have directed state money toward nonprofit pregnancy resource centers died in the House this week, drawing swift reaction from Democrats and renewing attention on one of the Legislature's most outspoken abortion opponents.
House Bill 2229 would have allocated $3 million from the state general fund to the Department of Health Services for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The money was earmarked for nonprofit pregnancy resource centers offering services such as pregnancy testing and STI screening.
Under the bill's language, organizations receiving funds would have been barred from referring patients to abortion providers, and no money could flow to abortion clinics as defined under Arizona law.
Democrats Stance
Following the bill's failure, Arizona House Democrats celebrated on social media, arguing the measure would have funneled money to what they called "shady crisis pregnancy centers" while cutting off resources from facilities that provide abortion services.
Democrats pointed to Proposition 139, a voter-approved constitutional amendment protecting reproductive freedom in Arizona, as the foundation for their opposition.
Representative Nancy Gutierrez (D-AZ) further emphasized that the bill would repeal the Hyde Amendment, which currently permits abortion in cases of rape, incest, and risk to the mother's life.
Representative Oscar De Los Santos (D-AZ) countered that the majority party was "using its power to pass a law that would force a 12-year-old raped by her own father to give birth.” “This is what we have come to,” he warned.
Longtime Battle
The bill's defeat is the latest chapter in a long-running legislative battle for Rep. Blackman, who has made restricting abortion a cornerstone of his tenure in the House.
Rep. Blackman's position has been consistent and vocal for years. In 2019, following Alabama's passage of a near-total abortion ban, Blackman expressed support for a similar incremental approach in Arizona.
"Alabama, of course, took a big leap, and we need to do it in increments," he said at the time.
In 2021, Blackman introduced HB 2650, a sweeping measure that would have redefined personhood to include unborn children at any stage of development and allowed prosecution for what the bill termed "homicide by abortion."
Blackman had referred to abortion clinics as "death factories." That bill died in the House Rules Committee without advancing further.
With HB 2229 now also off the table, the broader fight over abortion policy in Arizona shows no signs of slowing down.
