LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas House of Representatives voted to override Governor Mike Beebe’s veto of the bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy Wednesday afternoon.
As soon as Beebe issued his veto, HB1037 sponsor Andy Mayberry planned to gather the needed 51 votes to override.
“I just felt like it had a better chance of passing the sooner it ran,” Mayberry says.
As soon the veto was read in the House Wednesday afternoon, Mayberry made the move and called for the vote.
“I did a lot of leg work, a lot of other people did a lot of leg work to make sure we had those votes there before we ran the bill because it’s kind of a one time shot,” Mayberry said.
A failure to override would have likely signaled the end of his 20-week abortion ban becoming law.
After receiving 80 votes just last week, Mayberry got 53, two more than he needed, but much tighter than he expected.
“If you would have asked me that yesterday I would have said ‘no,'” Mayberry says. “Earlier today I started to get some warning signals it might be extremely close.”
The Arkansas Senate is expected to vote on the veto override Thursday.
As soon as Beebe issued his veto, HB1037 sponsor Andy Mayberry planned to gather the needed 51 votes to override.
“I just felt like it had a better chance of passing the sooner it ran,” Mayberry says.
As soon the veto was read in the House Wednesday afternoon, Mayberry made the move and called for the vote.
“I did a lot of leg work, a lot of other people did a lot of leg work to make sure we had those votes there before we ran the bill because it’s kind of a one time shot,” Mayberry said.
A failure to override would have likely signaled the end of his 20-week abortion ban becoming law.
After receiving 80 votes just last week, Mayberry got 53, two more than he needed, but much tighter than he expected.
“If you would have asked me that yesterday I would have said ‘no,'” Mayberry says. “Earlier today I started to get some warning signals it might be extremely close.”
The Arkansas Senate is expected to vote on the veto override Thursday.
