Arizona lawmakers took a significant step Wednesday toward blocking a Civil War-era abortion ban, after state senators repealed the measure the Arizona Supreme Court said last month could stand.
The vote fell largely on party lines, with two Republican state senators, Sen. Shawnna Bolick and Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope, breaking from the chamber's GOP majority to back repealing the near-total ban.
Along with banning abortions in all situations except life-threatening medical emergencies, the nineteenth century law imposes prison terms for doctors and others who aid in an abortion.
The repeal will head to Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, for her signature. As the Senate was voting, Hobbs told reporters earlier in the day that she would sign it “as soon as it gets to my desk.”
