Gov. Hobbs signs bill to repeal 1864 ban on most abortions [Video]

Also in the video player: Arizona Senate OKs bill to repeal 1864 near-total abortion ban

PHOENIX (AP) — Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has relegated a Civil War-era ban on most abortions to the past by signing a repeal bill Thursday.

Hobbs says the move is just the beginning of a fight to protect reproductive health care in Arizona. But the repeal may not take effect until 90 days after the end of the legislative session, in June or July. Abortion rights advocates hope a court will step in to prevent that outcome.

The effort to repeal the long-dormant law, which bans all abortions except those done to save a patient’s life, won final legislative approval Wednesday in a 16-14 vote of the Senate, as two GOP lawmakers joined with Democrats.

Watch the governor’s full remarks in the video player above.

Gov. Katie Hobbs on abortion ban repeal: I’m proud to sign this bill

Hobbs denounced “a ban that was passed by 27 men before …