By The Diary
13 Aug 2024, 02:47 AM EDT
Arizona voters will decide in the November election whether to add abortion rights to the state constitution after collecting more than 500,000 signatures that will put the measure on the ballot, officials said.
The Arizona secretary of state’s office shared that it had certified 577,971 signatures, which is above the required number that the coalition supporting the ballot measure had to submit to put the issue before voters.
They will be able to protect the right to abortion
The Arizona for Abortion Access coalition said in a statement that it is the largest number of validated signatures for a citizen initiative in state history.
“This is a huge victory for Arizona voters, who will now be able to vote ‘YES’ to restore and protect the right to access abortion care, free from political interference, once and for all,” campaign manager Cheryl Bruce said in the document obtained by the AP.
Democrats have made abortion rights a central message since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, and it is a key part of their efforts in this year’s elections.
The right to abortion will be put to a vote this year in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New York, South Dakota, and now Arizona is joining the vote.
Abortion is prohibited after 15 weeks
Arizona law currently bans abortions after 15 weeks. The ban, which became law in 2022, includes exceptions in cases of medical emergencies but has restrictions on nonsurgical abortion.
It also requires an ultrasound before performing an abortion, as well as parental consent in the case of minors.
The proposed amendment would allow abortions until the fetus can survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, with exceptions to save the mother’s life or protect her physical or mental health.
It would restrict the state from adopting or enforcing any law that prohibits access to the procedure.
Opponents believe there would be unlimited abortions
Opponents of the measure say it goes too far and could lead to unlimited, unregulated abortions in Arizona.
Supporters, meanwhile, say a constitutional amendment ensures that abortion rights cannot be easily erased by a court decision or legislative vote.
In April, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld an 1864 abortion ban that allowed abortions only to save the mother’s life and made no provision for women who suffered rape or incest. The Republican-controlled Legislature voted to repeal the ban, and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs promptly signed it into law.
With information from AP
Continue reading:
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