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Arkansas Right to Abortion Initiative (2024)
| Arkansas Right to Abortion Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 5, 2024 | |
| Topic Abortion | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type Constitutional amendment | Origin Citizens |
The Arkansas Right to Abortion Initiative was not on the ballot in Arkansas as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 5, 2024.
In 2024, 11 statewide ballot measures related to abortion were certified in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Nevada, and South Dakota for the general election ballot on November 5. This was the most on record for a single year.
Overview
What would the initiative have done?
- See also: Text of measure
This measure would have amended the state constitution to prohibit laws or policies restricting abortion access within 18 weeks from conception; or in cases of rape, incest, or fatal fetal anomaly; or when abortion is needed to protect the life or health of the mother.[1]
What states have decided on abortion ballot measures in 2022 and 2023?
- See also: History of abortion ballot measures
In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs. v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that there is no federal constitutional right to abortion and overturned Roe. v. Wade, placing many abortion policy decisions with the states. From 2022 to 2023, seven ballot measures addressing abortion have been on the ballot, with 2022 having the highest number of abortion ballot measures on record in a single year. Four measures—in Vermont, Michigan, and California in 2022, and Ohio in 2023— were sponsored by campaigns that described themselves as pro-choice and created state constitutional rights to abortion. All four measures were approved. Three measures—in Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana— were sponsored by campaigns describing themselves as pro-life and were designed to explicitly provide that there is no right to abortion in the state constitution. All three were defeated.
What states voted on abortion ballot measures in 2024?
The following table provides a list of abortion-related measures that were on the ballot in 2024:
| State | Date | Measure | Description | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Nov. 5, 2024 | Right to Abortion Initiative | • Establishes the fundamental right to abortion that the state of Arizona may not interfere with before the point of fetal viability | 
|
| Colorado | Nov. 5, 2024 | Right to Abortion Initiative | • Provide a constitutional right to abortion in the state constitution and allow the use of public funds for abortion |
|
| Florida | Nov. 5, 2024 | Florida Amendment 4 | • Provide a constitutional right to abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health, as determined by the patient's healthcare provider | 
|
| Maryland | Nov. 5, 2024 | Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment | • Amend the Maryland Constitution to establish a right to reproductive freedom, defined to include "decisions to prevent, continue, or end one's own pregnancy" |
|
| Missouri | Nov. 5, 2024 | Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment | • Amend the Missouri Constitution to provide the right for reproductive freedom, and provide that the state legislature may enact laws that regulate abortion after fetal viability |
|
| Montana | Nov. 5, 2024 | CI-128, Right to Abortion Initiative | • Amend the Montana Constitution to provide a state constitutional "right to make and carry out decisions about one’s own pregnancy, including the right to abortion" |
|
| Nebraska | Nov. 5, 2024 | Prohibit Abortions After the First Trimester Amendment | • Amend the Nebraska Constitution to provide that "unborn children shall be protected from abortion in the second and third trimesters" |
|
| Nebraska | Nov. 5, 2024 | Right to Abortion Initiative | • Amend the Nebraska Constitution to provide that "all persons shall have a fundamental right to abortion until fetal viability" |
|
| New York | Nov. 5, 2024 | Equal Protection of Law Amendment | • Add language to the New York Bill of Rights to provide that people cannot be denied rights based on their "ethnicity, national origin, age, and disability" or "sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy." |
|
| Nevada | Nov. 5, 2024 | Right to Abortion Initiative | • Establish the constitutional right to an abortion, providing for the state to regulate abortion after fetal viability, except where medically indicated to protect the life, physical health, or mental health of the pregnant woman. |
|
| South Dakota | Nov. 5, 2024 | Constitutional Amendment G | • Provide a trimester framework for regulating abortion in the South Dakota Constitution |
|
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for the amendment was as follows:
| “ |
An amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to change Arkansas law regarding abortion; current Arkansas law prohibits abortion except to save the life of the pregnant female in a medical emergency, and the current Arkansas Constitution does not restrict the State of Arkansas’s authority to regulate abortion services to protect the health and safety of the pregnant female or for other purposes; this amendment changes Arkansas law by amending the Arkansas Constitution to provide that the government of the State of Arkansas, its officers, or its political subdivisions shall not prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion services (1) in cases of rape, (2) in cases of incest, (3) in the event of a fatal fetal anomaly, or (4) when, in a physician’s good-faith medical judgment, abortion services are needed to protect a pregnant female’s life or to protect a pregnant female from a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury; to provide that the government of the State of Arkansas, its officers, or its political subdivisions shall not prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion services within 18 weeks of fertilization, which equates to approximately 20 weeks since the first day of the pregnant female’s last menstrual period; to define a “fatal fetal anomaly” as a medical condition diagnosed before birth that, in a physician’s good-faith medical judgment, will lead to fetal or neonatal death and for which life-saving medical intervention would be futile; to define “physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury” to include, without limitation, (1) a life-endangering physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself and (2) any situation in which continuation of a pregnancy will create a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily function of a pregnant female; to define “major bodily function” to include, without limitation, (1) functions of the immune system, (2) normal cell growth, (3) digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions, and (4) operation of an individual organ within a body system; to define “fertilization” as the fusion of a human spermatozoon with a human ovum; to define “abortion services” as medical interventions provided to a pregnant female to end the medical condition of pregnancy but not to include accidental or unintentional injury or death of an embryo or fetus before birth; to provide that abortions services assisted by a physician may be provided in a hospital, emergency department, a physician’s office or clinic, a surgery center, a free-standing birthing center, or other licensed healthcare facility; to provide that section 2 of Amendment 68 of the Arkansas Constitution is amended to add the phrase “and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas,” and would read as follows: “Section 2: Public Policy: The policy of Arkansas is to protect the life of every unborn child from conception until birth, to the extent permitted by the Federal Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas”; to declare that all provisions of the constitution, statutes, and common law of the State of Arkansas are null and void to the extent they conflict with any provision of this amendment; to provide that this amendment shall be selfexecuting; and to provide that any provision of this amendment that is held to be invalid shall be severable from the remaining provisions of this amendment [2] |
” |
Popular name
The popular name for the amendment was as follows:
| “ | Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024[2] | ” |
Full text
The full text is available here.
Support
Arkansans for Limited Government led the campaign in support of the initiative.[3]
Arguments
Arkansans for Limited Government said, "When it comes to personal healthcare matters, Arkansans know what’s best for them, but lawmakers think the state knows better. Politicians have taken away our fundamental right to make personal healthcare decisions — matters that are deeply private and should be kept between a patient and their doctor. The government needs to stop dictating what’s best for families and let people make their own healthcare decisions. The Arkansas Reproductive Healthcare Amendment offers a compromise for everyone and a solution to the problem of government overreach in the area of reproductive healthcare."[4]
Opposition
Stronger Arkansas, a ballot question committee chaired by a former campaign manager for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R), led the campaign in opposition to the initiative.[5]
Campaign finance
Arkansans for Limited Government registered to support the initiative. The committee reported $151,893.06 in contributions.[6]
Choose Life Arkansas registered to oppose the initiative and reported $88,325 in contributions. Stronger Arkansas is simultaneously registered to oppose the abortion initiative and the medical marijuana expansion initiative. The committee reported $375,000 in contributions. Because the committee is opposing both measures, it is impossible to differentiate specific funds spent on each measure individually.[6]
| Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | $151,893.06 | $0.00 | $151,893.06 | $127,830.41 | $127,830.41 |
| Oppose | $463,325.00 | $0.00 | $463,325.00 | $450,167.59 | $450,167.59 |
| Total | $615,218.06 | $0.00 | $615,218.06 | $577,998.00 | $577,998.00 |
Support
The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of the initiative.[6]
| Committees in support of Arkansas Right to Abortion Initiative | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures |
| Arkansans for Limited Government | $151,893.06 | $0.00 | $151,893.06 | $127,830.41 | $127,830.41 |
| Total | $151,893.06 | $0.00 | $151,893.06 | $127,830.41 | $127,830.41 |
Donors
The top donors to the support campaign were as follows:[6]
| Donor | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions |
|---|
Opposition
The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee(s) in opposition to the initiative.[6]
| Committees in opposition to Arkansas Right to Abortion Initiative | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures |
| Stronger Arkansas | $375,000.00 | $0.00 | $375,000.00 | $373,344.05 | $373,344.05 |
| Choose Life Arkansas | $88,325.00 | $0.00 | $88,325.00 | $76,823.54 | $76,823.54 |
| Total | $463,325.00 | $0.00 | $463,325.00 | $450,167.59 | $450,167.59 |
Donors
The top donors to the opposition campaign were as follows:[6]
| Donor | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Ruddy | $100,000.00 | $0.00 | $100,000.00 |
| Arkansas Right to Life | $30,000.00 | $0.00 | $30,000.00 |
| HUCK PAC | $25,000.00 | $0.00 | $25,000.00 |
| Geyer Springs First Baptist Church | $20,000.00 | $0.00 | $20,000.00 |
| Boozman for Arkansas | $10,000.00 | $0.00 | $10,000.00 |
Methodology
To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.
Background
U.S. Supreme Court rulings on abortion
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022)
In 2018, Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a clinic and abortion facility in Mississippi, challenged the constitutionality of the "Gestational Age Act" in federal court. The newly-enacted law prohibited abortions after the fifteenth week of pregnancy except in cases of medical emergencies or fetal abnormalities. The U.S. district court granted summary judgment in favor of the plaintiffs, holding that the law was unconstitutional, and put a permanent stop to the law's enforcement. On appeal, the 5th Circuit affirmed the district court's ruling. Click here to learn more about the case's background. On May 17, 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear the case.[7]
On June 24, 2022, in a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court of the United States found there was no constitutional right to abortion and overruled Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992). In a 6-3 ruling, the court upheld Mississippi's abortion law at issue in the case. Roe v. Wade found that state laws criminalizing abortion prior to fetal viability violated the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. In Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the essential holding of Roe v. Wade but rejected the trimester framework established in the case. The high court affirmed that states could not ban abortions before fetal viability.
Roe v. Wade (1973)
In 1973, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its ruling in Roe v. Wade, finding that state laws criminalizing abortion prior to fetal viability violated the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The high court held that states can regulate and/or prohibit abortions (except those to preserve the life or health of the mother) once a fetus reaches the point of viability. Roe v. Wade defined fetal viability as "the interim point at which the fetus becomes 'viable,' that is, potentially able to live outside the mother's womb, albeit with artificial aid." The high court further noted that "viability is usually placed at about seven months (28 weeks) but may occur earlier, even at 24 weeks."[8]
The ruling established a strict trimester framework to guide state abortion policies. States, according to this framework, were prohibited from banning or regulating abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. During the second trimester, states were permitted to regulate abortion to protect the mother's health. During the third trimester, states were allowed to ban abortion, except in cases where an abortion is needed to preserve the life or health of the mother.[8]
Abortion regulations by state
- See also: Abortion regulations by state
As of September 4, 2025, 41 states restricted abortions after a certain point in pregnancy.[9] The remaining nine states and Washington, D.C., did not. Of the 41 states with established thresholds for restrictions on abortion:
- Twelve states restrict abortion after conception
- Four states restrict abortion at six weeks post-fertilization
- Two states restrict abortion at 12 weeks post-fertilization
- Zero states restrict abortion at 15 weeks post-fertilization
- One state restricts abortion at 18 weeks since the last menstrual period
- Three states restrict abortion at 20 weeks post-fertilization or 22 weeks after the last menstrual period
- Four states restrict abortion at 24 weeks since the last menstrual period
- Fourteen states restrict abortion at fetal viability
- One state restricts abortion in the third trimester
The maps and table below give more details on state laws restricting abortion based on the stage of pregnancy. Hover over the footnotes in the table for information on legislation pending legal challenges or otherwise not yet in effect.
Some of the terms that are used to describe states' thresholds for abortion restriction include the following:
- Conception: This threshold prohibits all abortions after conception, although some states provide exceptions if the woman's life or health is threatened.[10]
- Fetal heartbeat: This threshold restricts abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which may begin six weeks after the last menstrual period.[11][12]
- Fetal viability: In Roe v. Wade, SCOTUS defined fetal viability. The Supreme Court further noted that "viability is usually placed at about seven months (28 weeks) but may occur earlier, even at 24 weeks."[13]
- Last menstrual period: This threshold marks the beginning of a pregnancy from the first day of a woman's last menstrual period.[11]
- Post-fertilization: Thresholds using post-fertilization mark the beginning of pregnancy at the time of conception, which can occur up to 24 hours following intercourse. A threshold of 20 weeks post-fertilization is equivalent to 22 weeks since last menstrual period.[14]
- Post-implantation: Thresholds using post-implantation mark the beginning of pregnancy at the date on which a fertilized egg adheres to the lining of the uterus, roughly five days after fertilization. A threshold of 24 weeks post-implantation is equivalent to 27 weeks since last menstrual period.[14]
Abortion restriction threshold maps
Abortion restrictions by state
| State abortion restrictions based on stage of pregnancy | ||
|---|---|---|
| State | Does the state restrict abortion after a specific point in pregnancy? | Threshold for restriction |
| Alabama | Yes | Conception |
| Alaska | No | None |
| Arizona | Yes | Fetal viability[15][16] |
| Arkansas | Yes | Conception |
| California | Yes | Fetal viability |
| Colorado | No | None |
| Connecticut | Yes | Fetal viability |
| Delaware | Yes | Fetal viability |
| Florida | Yes | Six weeks post-fertilization |
| Georgia | Yes | Six weeks post-fertilization |
| Hawaii | Yes | Fetal viability |
| Idaho[17] | Yes | Conception |
| Illinois | Yes | Fetal viability |
| Indiana | Yes | Conception |
| Iowa | Yes | Six weeks post-fertilization |
| Kansas | Yes | 20 weeks since last menstrual period |
| Kentucky | Yes | Conception |
| Louisiana | Yes | Conception |
| Maine | Yes | Fetal viability |
| Maryland | No | None |
| Massachusetts | Yes | 24 weeks post-fertilization |
| Michigan | No | None |
| Minnesota | No | None |
| Mississippi | Yes | Conception |
| Missouri | Yes | Fetal viability[18][19] |
| Montana | Yes | Fetal viability |
| Nebraska | Yes | 12 weeks post-fertilization |
| Nevada | Yes | 24 weeks post-fertilization |
| New Hampshire | Yes | 24 weeks since last menstrual period |
| New Jersey | No | None |
| New Mexico | No | None |
| New York | Yes | Fetal viability |
| North Carolina | Yes | 12 weeks post-fertilization |
| North Dakota | Yes | Fetal viability[20] |
| Ohio | Yes | 20 weeks post-fertilization[21] |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Conception |
| Oregon | No | None |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | 24 weeks since last menstrual period |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Fetal viability |
| South Carolina | Yes | Six weeks post-fertilization |
| South Dakota | Yes | Conception |
| Tennessee | Yes | Conception |
| Texas | Yes | Conception |
| Utah | Yes | 18 weeks since last menstrual period |
| Vermont | No | None |
| Virginia | Yes | Third trimester since last menstrual period |
| Washington | Yes | Fetal viability |
| Washington, D.C. | No | None |
| West Virginia | Yes | Conception |
| Wisconsin | Yes | 20 weeks post-fertilization |
| Wyoming | Yes | Fetal viability |
| Sources:Guttmacher Institute, "State Policies on Later Abortions," accessed August 16, 2024; CNA, "TRACKER: Check the status of abortion trigger laws across the U.S.," accessed August 16, 2024; The Fuller Project, "How major abortion laws compare, state by state," accessed August 16, 2024 | ||
History of abortion ballot measures
- See also: History of abortion ballot measures
In 2022, there were six ballot measures addressing abortion — the most on record for a single year. Measures were approved in California, Michigan, and Vermont. Measures were defeated in Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana.
From 1970 to November 2022, there were 53 abortion-related ballot measures, and 43 (81%) of these had the support of organizations that described themselves as pro-life. Voters approved 11 (26%) and rejected 32 (74%) of these 43 ballot measures. The other 10 abortion-related ballot measures had the support of organizations that described themselves as pro-choice or pro-reproductive rights. Voters approved seven (70%) and rejected three (30%).
Before Roe v. Wade in 1973, three abortion-related measures were on the ballot in Michigan, North Dakota, and Washington, and each was designed to allow abortion in its respective state.
The following graph shows the number of abortion-related ballot measures per year since 1970:
Constitutional rights
The topic constitutional rights addresses ballot measures that establish a state constitutional right to abortion. Campaigns that support these measures often describe themselves as pro-choice or pro-reproductive rights.
Constitutional interpretation
The topic constitutional interpretation addresses ballot measures designed to provide that state constitutions cannot be interpreted to establish a state constitutional right to abortion. These types of amendments are designed to address previous and future state court rulings on abortion that have prevented or could prevent legislatures from passing certain abortion laws. Campaigns that support these measures often describe themselves as pro-life.
| State | Year | Measure | Yes | No | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 2022 | No State Constitutional Right to Abortion and Legislative Power to Regulate Abortion Amendment | 41.03% | 58.97% | |
| Kentucky | 2022 | No State Constitutional Right to Abortion Amendment | 47.65% | 52.35% | |
| Louisiana | 2020 | Amendment 1: No Right to Abortion in Constitution Amendment | 62.06% | 37.94% | |
| Alabama | 2018 | Amendment 2: State Abortion Policy Amendment | 59.01% | 40.99% | |
| West Virginia | 2018 | Amendment 1: No Right to Abortion in Constitution Measure | 51.73% | 48.27% | |
| Tennessee | 2014 | Amendment 1: No State Constitutional Right to Abortion and Legislative Power to Regulate Abortion Amendment | 52.60% | 47.40% | |
| Florida | 2012 | Amendment 6: State Constitution Interpretation and Prohibit Public Funds for Abortions Amendment | 44.90% | 55.10% | |
| Massachusetts | 1986 | Question 1: No State Constitutional Right to Abortion and Legislative Power to Regulate Abortion Amendment | 41.83% | 58.17% | |
Path to the ballot
The state process
In Arkansas, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated constitutional amendment for the ballot is equal to 10 percent of the votes cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. Proponents must collect signatures equaling at least half of the designated percentage of gubernatorial votes in at least 50 of the state's counties. Signatures remain valid until the date of the next general election following the certification of ballot language. Signature petitions must be submitted four months prior to the election at which the measure is to appear.
The requirements to get initiated constitutional amendments certified for the 2024 ballot:
- Signatures: 90,704 valid signatures
- Deadline: The deadline to submit signatures was July 5, 2024.
If the secretary of state certifies that enough signatures were submitted in a petition, the initiative is put on the ballot. If a petition fails to meet the signature requirement, but the petition has at least 75 percent of the valid signatures needed, petitioners have 30 days to collect additional signatures or demonstrate that rejected signatures are valid.
Details about this initiative
- Arkansans for Limited Government formed as a ballot question committee to sponsor the initiative.[23]
- On November 28, 2023, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin rejected the ballot language and found certain sections to be misleading. The ballot language for the amendment must receive approval from the attorney general in order to circulate.[24]
- Sponsors filed a second version of the initiative with the attorney general on December 18, 2023.[25]
- The ballot language was approved by Attorney General Tim Griffin on January 24, 2024.[26]
- Sponsors reported submitting about 100,000 signatures on July 5.[27]
Signature validity lawsuit
| Lawsuit overview | |
| Issue: Whether the campaign provide statements identifying paid canvassers by name and confirming that canvassers were informed about the rules for gathering signatures; whether signatures collected by those canvassers are valid | |
| Court: Arkansas Supreme Court | |
| Ruling: Ruled in favor of plaintiffs; signatures invalid | |
| Plaintiff(s): Arkansans for Limited Government | Defendant(s): Secretary of State John Thurston |
| Plaintiff argument: The campaign provided necessary documentation and signatures should be counted | Defendant argument: The campaign failed to provide statements identifying paid canvassers by name and confirming that canvassers were informed about the rules for gathering signatures, therefore those signatures are not valid |
Source: AP News
Arkansans for Limited Government filed a complaint in the Arkansas Supreme Court alleging that Secretary of State John Thurston (R) and elections officials incorrectly rejected signatures and requesting elections officials to count all signatures submitted by the campaign. Arkansas election officials rejected the submitted petitions, stating that the campaign failed to provide statements identifying paid canvassers by name and confirming that canvassers were informed about the rules for gathering signatures. Secretary of State John Thurston (R) said that 87,382 signatures came from volunteer signature gatherers. In Arkansas, if a petition does not meet the required number of valid signatures but has at least 75% of the necessary signatures, petitioners have 30 days to gather additional signatures or validate the previously rejected ones.[28] On July 26, the Arkansas Supreme Court ordered that Secretary Thurston respond to the complaint filed against him. On July 29, Secretary Thurston said that the ballot question committee did not file required paperwork regarding paid canvasser signatures, and that those 14,143 signatures cannot be counted.[29]
On August 22, 2024, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that because sponsors failed to submit required documentation, they failed to submit enough required signatures and the measure did not qualify for the 2024 ballot.[30]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Arkansas Attorney General, "Opinion No. 2023-092," accessed October 12, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Arkansans for Limited Government, "Home," accessed January 3, 2024
- ↑ Arkansans for Limited Government, "FAQ," accessed January 3, 2024
- ↑ Arkansas Advocate, "Arkansas governor’s campaign manager leads abortion amendment opposition group," accessed March 21, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Arkansas Ethics, "Ballot question committee filings," accessed July 16, 2024
- ↑ SCOTUSblog, "Court to weigh in on Mississippi abortion ban intended to challenge Roe v. Wade," May 17, 2021
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cornell University Law School, "Roe v. Wade," accessed April 27, 2017
- ↑ Note: Exceptions to these thresholds are generally provided when pregnancy threatens the mother's life or health.
- ↑ The Fuller Project, "How major abortion laws compare, state by state," accessed December 4, 2022
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Kaiser Family Foundation, "States with Gestational Limits for Abortion," August 1, 2020
- ↑ Guttmacher Institute, "State Bans on Abortion Throughout Pregnancy," September 1, 2021
- ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Roe v. Wade, January 22, 1973
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Guttmacher Institute, "The Implications of Defining When a Woman Is Pregnant," May 9, 2005
- ↑ Voters approved Proposition 139 on November 5, 2024, amending the state constitution to provide for the fundamental right to abortion, among other provisions. The amendment was set to go into effect once Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) certified the election results following the November 25, 2024, canvass deadline.
- ↑ Axios, "When Arizona's new abortion measure will take effect," November 7, 2024
- ↑ In a 6-3 decision in Moyle v. United States (consolidated with Idaho v. United States), the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2024, reinstated a U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho ruling that temporarily blocked the state of Idaho from enforcing the part of a 2022 law that barred abortion in case of certain medical emergencies.
- ↑ Voters approved Amendment 3, which provided for a right to abortion in the state constitution. The amendment was set to take effect 30 days after the election.
- ↑ Missouri Independent, "Missouri voters approve Amendment 3, overturn state’s abortion ban," November 5, 2024
- ↑ On September 12, 2024, a state judge ruled against North Dakota's abortion ban. The state appealed the ruling, and litigation is ongoing.
- ↑ Ohio voters approved Issue 1 in 2023, allowing the state to restrict abortion only after fetal viability. However, the state's previous restrictions on abortion—such as SB 127, which banned abortion at 20 weeks post-fertilization—remained on the books. As of August 2024, courts had not weighed in on the interaction between Issue 1 and the older laws.
- ↑ Note: Florida Amendment 4 needed to receive a 60% vote to be approved.
- ↑ Talk Business, "Group forms committee for reproductive healthcare amendment," accessed November 27, 2023
- ↑ Arkansas Attorney General, "Opinion No. 2023-107," accessed November 28, 2023
- ↑ Arkansans for Limited Government, "Second Certification Request Filed With Attorney General ," accessed January 3, 2023
- ↑ Arkansas Attorney General, "Opinion No. 2024-004," accessed January 24, 2024
- ↑ Kark, "Organizers behind Arkansas abortion amendment submit petition signatures," accessed July 6, 2024
- ↑ NBC News, "Arkansas secretary of state rejects abortion-rights ballot initiative," accessed July 11, 2024
- ↑ UA Little Rock NPR, ",Arkansas Secretary of State defends rejection of proposed abortion amendment accessed July 29, 2024
- ↑ NYT, "Arkansas Supreme Court Denies Bid to Get Abortion Measure on the Ballot," accessed August 22, 2024
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