Arizona lawmakers move to repeal state’s 19th-century abortion ban

The Arizona Senate passed a bill on Wednesday to repeal the Civil War-era ban on nearly all abortions in the state, set to take effect in June.

Gov. Katie Hobbs is expected to sign it today.

Two Republicans joined the Democrats, voting 16-14 in favor of revoking the near-total ban.

The 160-year-old ban went into effect for a brief period after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. It was quickly blocked by a court the same year.

But on April 9, the state’s highest court revived the total abortion ban in a ruling, leading to public opposition. Even President Joe Biden criticized it.

If the bill is signed into law by the Arizona governor, the previous rule of allowing abortions up to 15 weeks will take effect in the state.

Currently, 22 states in the US have either restricted or banned abortion after certain months of pregnancy. Florida’s ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy went into effect yesterday.