Arizona residents gather at state house as lawmakers debate on abortion ban

PHOENIX (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Demonstrators gathered at the Arizona state house Wednesday as lawmakers debate on repealing a 1864 abortion ban.

The Civil-War era law was upheld by the state's Supreme Court last week and outlaws abortion from the moment of conception, making it a felony punishable by two to five years in prison.

Before Wednesday's session, demonstrators called on legislators to keep the ban in place.

"Well, it's important for our legislators to see that the people Arizona do support this and that we do want every life to be protected from the moment of conception.

It's a hot topic because it's personal to every person. Every woman feels either like, yes, I want to protect every life, or they feel like their bodily autonomy is being harmed, when I don't feel like that's what we need to be focusing on. We need to be focusing on the lives that are being lost in Arizona from abortion."

Heather Litchfield, Students for Life