Arizona Senate Repeals Near-Total Abortion Ban from 1864

The Arizona Senate has voted to repeal the state's 1864 abortion ban, with a 16-14 majority. The effort gained final legislative approval on Wednesday, with two Republican senators joining Democrats in supporting the repeal. Abortion rights advocates hope that a court will intervene to prevent the repeal from taking effect until 90 days after the end of the legislative session, which could be as late as fall. Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs is expected to sign the bill into law. The repeal would effectively nullify the long-dormant ban on nearly all abortions in Arizona.