Arizona activists move for vote to put abortion rights in state constitution

Activists in Arizona are seeking a statewide vote to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, reported NBC News on Tuesday.

"The coalition — led by the ACLU of Arizona, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, NARAL Arizona and several other women’s health advocacy groups based in the state — will take the form of a new political action committee called Arizona for Abortion Access," reported Adam Edelman. "The groups seek to place a constitutional amendment on the November 2024 ballot that, if passed, would enshrine abortion rights into the state’s constitution."

Candace Lew, chair of Arizona for Abortion Access, said of the new effwort, “Since the fall of Roe, we have seen our communities come together as a multigenerational and multiracial movement for reproductive freedom to fight for Arizonans’ fundamental rights, and this ballot initiative will continue to build on this momentum. Thousands of Arizonans will power this grassroots effort to not only pose this question to voters, but ensure it passes next November.”

Abortion rights in Arizona are currently in limbo. The state has a 15-week ban on the procedure, and Republicans hold a slim majority in the state legislature preventing any changes to this law; however, both Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes have blocked any prosecutions from taking place under that law for now.

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This concentrated push comes amid efforts in other states to enshrine similar protections in law by popular vote.

Michigan passed abortion rights into its state constitution a vote in 2022. Ohio has a similar measure on the ballot this November, and voters this week swatted down a GOP measure that would have required a 60 percent supermajority to pass it. Activists in Florida are currently trying to put such a measure on their ballot, where existing rules will require 60 percent there.