The Arizona Supreme Court rebuffs endeavor to hinder abortion referendum from appearing on November's ballot.
Anti-abortion advocacy group Arizona Right to Life filed a complaint against the ballot initiative, claiming dissatisfaction with the 200-word summary used to gather signatures, alleging that the general public was deceived about the extent of the amendment.
In their recent decision, the court deemed that the description of the amendment "is not obligated to explain the Initiative’s influence on current abortion laws and regulations."
The court further stated, "A reasonable individual would inherently comprehend that regulations that fail the prescribed tests would be declared invalid instead of remaining in force."
Last week, the Arizona Abortion Access Act garnered 577,971 valid signatures and will be featured on the ballot as Proposition 139, as announced by the Arizona secretary of state's office. The initiative required 383,923 signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The proposed amendment aims to entrench the right to an abortion in the state constitution up to the point of fetal viability, which medical professionals estimate occurs between 22 to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
On Tuesday, the Arizona high court mandated the inclusion of the proposed amendment in the 2024 election information pamphlet and on the November ballot.
Earlier this year, the Arizona Legislature voted to dismantle the state's 160-year-old near-total abortion ban, following the revival of the law by the state Supreme Court and the subsequent spotlight on reproductive rights in politics. Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs swiftly signed the repeal legislation into law.
At present, Arizona imposes a 15-week limitation on abortions. This 2022 regulation does not incorporate exemptions for rape and incest.
CNN's Rashard Rose contributed to this report.
Despite the court's decision not to elaborate on the initiative's impact on existing abortion laws, the political landscape in Arizona remains heated with the ongoing debate surrounding abortion rights. The Arizona Right to Life group's frustration with the ballot initiative's summary has sparked renewed discussions in the realm of politics.
