PHOENIX – Arizona’s ballot this fall will include a major reproductive rights measure along with presidential, Senate and other battleground races, putting the key issue squarely in front of voters in the swing state.
The Arizona Abortion Access Act will go before voters this election cycle after organizers broke a record for the number of valid signatures collected, JP Martin, deputy communications officer for the Arizona Secretary of State’s office, told NBC News Monday night. statewide ballot initiative.
According to the secretary of state’s count, 577,971 valid signatures were submitted by Arizona for Abortion Access, a coalition of reproductive rights organizations that includes the ACLU of Arizona and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona. This signature collection far exceeded the 383,923 signatures required to get on the ballot. In Arizona, a proposed amendment to the state constitution known as the Abortion Access Act will go before voters under the title “Proposition 139.”
“This is a huge victory for Arizona voters who will vote YES to restore and protect their right to abortion care free from political interference,” said Cheryl Bruce, campaign manager for Abortion Access Arizona. statement.
The constitutional amendment Proposed by Arizona for Abortion Access, it would create a “fundamental right” to receive abortion care until fetal viability, or about the 24th week of pregnancy, with exceptions if a health care provider determines it is necessary to “preserve life.” or the physical or mental health of the pregnant person.”
Opponents of the event are in the spotlight potentially broad application of the mental health exceptionargues that this would make it much easier to terminate live pregnancies.
Under current Arizona law, abortion is legal up to the 15th week of pregnancy, after which there are no exceptions for rape or consanguinity except to save the life of the mother.
“Thousands of local volunteers and dozens of organizations focused on reproductive rights, health care, faith communities and veterans’ rights, millions of Arizonans have looked forward to this day for more than a year,” said Chris Love. The Arizona Access to Abortion campaign in a statement.
The US Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. The political debate over abortion access in Arizona has been particularly charged and action-packed since the 2022 Dobbs decision that overturned Wade.
In April 2024, the Supreme Court of the conservative-leaning state of Arizona Almost complete ban on abortion since 1864 was still valid.
But several Republican state lawmakers joined with Democrats to pass the bill cancels the ban Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in May signed the law.
The repeal effectively reinstated a 2022 law signed by the then-Republican governor that legalized abortion up to the 15th week of pregnancy, except to save the woman’s life, except for rape or consanguinity.
If voters approve Proposition 139 in November, it would effectively repeal the 15-week ban.