Arizona Voters to Decide on Abortion Rights Amendment in November
The Arizona Secretary of State’s office has certified a record-breaking 577,971 signatures for a citizens’ initiative that would add the right to an abortion to the state constitution. The coalition behind the initiative, Arizona for Abortion Access, hailed this achievement as the most signatures ever validated for a citizens’ initiative in state history.
Campaign manager Cheryl Bruce expressed excitement over the news, stating, “This is a huge win for Arizona voters who will now get to vote YES on restoring and protecting the right to access abortion care, free from political interference, once and for all.”
Abortion rights have become a central focus for Democrats since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. This issue is also a key component of their campaign efforts in this year’s elections, with similar measures set to appear on the ballot in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota.
The proposed amendment in Arizona would allow abortions until a fetus could survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, with exceptions for the mother’s life or health. It aims to restrict the state from passing laws that would limit access to abortion.
Opponents of the measure argue that it goes too far and could lead to unregulated abortions in Arizona. Supporters, on the other hand, believe that a constitutional amendment is necessary to safeguard abortion rights from being easily revoked through court decisions or legislative actions.
In a recent development, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld an 1864 abortion ban that had no exceptions for rape or incest survivors, but the Republican-controlled Legislature voted to repeal this ban. Governor Katie Hobbs quickly signed the repeal into law, marking a significant step in protecting abortion rights in the state.
Decision 2024
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