Nevada Personhood Amendment (2010)
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A Nevada Personhood Amendment may appear on the 2010 state ballot in Nevada as an initiated constitutional amendment. The measure, if approved, would recognize the personhood of the unborn from the earliest stages of life. The proposed constitutional amendment is supported by Personhood Nevada and is part of a nationwide effort to place the measures on 2010 ballots. [1]
Ballot summary
Petition text
According to the filed petition, the text reads:[2]
The People of the State of Nevada do enact as follows:
RESOLVED, That a new section designated Section 23 to be added to Article 1 of the Constitution of the State of Nevada to read as follows:
"In the great state of Nevada, the term 'person' applies to every human being."
Fiscal impact
According to state officials, the financial effect of the provisions of the initiative upon state or local government cannot be determined.[3]
Opponents
Opponents include Nevada Eagle Forum, the Independent American Party, Nevada Families and Nevada Life. In November 2009 the four groups released a statement in opposition to the proposed amendment. They said the measure is " so vague and general that it may not even apply to abortion at all." Additionally, they argued that the measure, if approved, would "harm the pro-life movement by giving pro-abortion courts more power to decide all matters relations to abortion." The issue, they said, should be decided by elected officials and not by the courts.[4]
Legal challenge
A lawsuit was filed on November 12, 2009 against the proposed amendment by the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood and several individuals. According to the filed lawsuit, the petition and the description are "misleading" and does not include an explanation of the proposition's objective. Should the lawsuit be successful, the petition could still be allowed on the ballot if the language is altered. Maggie McLetchie, a lawyer for the ACLU of Nevada, said, "They seek to outlaw a huge range of reproductive services. Under the petition, fetuses could sue and be sued. What they are proposing is so radical and would clog up the courts." However, Richard Ziser, a supporter of the measure, said that it is clear what the petition's objective is - "It is to protect the life of the unborn. They would prefer we used the term abortion. We will see what we will end up with."[5] [6] [7]
Path to the ballot
In order to qualify the measure for the 2010 ballot supporters are required to collect a minimum of 97,002 valid signatures.[4]
Related measures
Personhood USA is tracking and supporting similar ballot initiatives in Colorado, Mississippi, Oregon and Montana.[8]
See also
Articles
External links
Additional reading
References
- ↑ KXNT,"Group Seeks Anti-Abortion Ballot Measure," October 22, 2009
- ↑ Nevada Secretary of State,"Personhood petition," October 21, 2009
- ↑ Nevada Secretary of State,"Personhood Amendment Initiative Fiscal Summary," November 6, 2009
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Las Vegas Sun,"Anti-abortion groups oppose petition aimed at ban," November 17, 2009
- ↑ Las Vegas Review-Journal,"ANTI-ABORTION PETITION: 'Personhood' faces challenge," November 13, 2009
- ↑ KTNV,"Two groups challenge abortion ballot measure," November 13, 2009
- ↑ Personhood USA,"Planned Parenthood and ACLU Obstruct People's Rights with Lawsuit against Personhood Nevada," November 13, 2009
- ↑ Colorado Statesman, "Personhood amendment revised and revived", July 3, 2009
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