PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona’s Civil War-era ban on nearly all abortions is officially repealed. Saturday marks the day a repeal approved by state lawmakers and signed by the Democratic governor takes effect. The repeal effort followed a decision in April by the state Supreme Court to clear the way for the state to enforce the long-dormant 1864 law, which criminalized all abortions except when a woman’s life was at risk. The repeal comes as voters in the battleground state consider a ballot measure that would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution. Abortion has been a key issue in Democratic campaigns since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
