The Arizona Supreme Court has upheld the validity of a 200-word summary that abortion advocates used to collect signatures for a ballot bill. The decision clears the way for voters to decide on a constitutional right to abortion in an upcoming election. Under the proposed measure, abortions would be allowed until an embryo or fetus could survive outside the womb, which is usually about 24 weeks. Exceptions would be granted for cases where the life or health of the mother is at risk.
The ruling comes just before the deadline for Arizona to print ballot papers. Arizona Right to Life, an organization that fought against the measure, argued that the summary was misleading. Supreme Court justices rejected that claim, as well as the claim that the summary did not state that existing abortion laws would be repealed if passed.
Arizona for Abortion Access, the group behind the initiative, hailed the ruling as a significant victory. After the Arizona Secretary of State’s office recently certified 577,971 signatures, far more than the required number, advocates are now focused on mobilizing voter support. The issue has become a central theme in the Democratic campaign since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling in 2022.
(With contributions from agencies.)
