TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Rep. Athena Salman, D-District 8, announced Wednesday she'll be resigning from the state Legislature to further advocate for protecting reproductive rights.
Salman, whose district encompasses parts of Tempe, said she will be vacating her seat in the Arizona House of Representatives at the end of 2023 to take on a role with Arizona Campaigns for Reproductive Freedom for All.
“The right to decide if, when and how to start and grow your family faces the largest threat in generations," Salman said in a statement. "We are one bad court decision away from a 160-year-old total ban on abortion being reinstated in Arizona.”
The Democrat said she'll be working to restore abortion rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. The Arizona Supreme Court is in the midst of reviewing a landmark case that could decide whether a near-total ban on abortion dating back to the 1800s should be state law.
Salman was elected to the Legislature in 2016. During her tenure, Salman has routinely spoken out against legislative attempts to outlaw abortion in the Grand Canyon State.
When a state lawmaker resigns before their term expires, the county board of supervisors is authorized to appoint a replacement of the same political party who can fill the seat until an election is held.
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