The Arkansas Supreme Court has rejected a pro-choice ballot initiative that aimed to enshrine abortion as a state constitutional right under certain circumstances. The 4-3 decision came after a petition by Arkansans for Limited Government was denied due to failure to comply with statutory filing requirements for paid canvassers. Justice Rhonda Wood authored the majority opinion, stating that the petitioners failed to meet the requirements for paid canvassers. Despite collecting over 100,000 signatures, the court denied further relief as the number of initial signatures did not meet the facial validity threshold required by law.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, a Republican, hailed the decision as a win for the rule of law and the integrity of the state’s ballot initiative process. The group behind the initiative, ALG, expressed disappointment in the ruling but vowed to continue fighting for women’s access to safe healthcare and autonomy in decision-making.
The proposed amendment would have prevented the state from restricting abortions up to 18 weeks into a pregnancy. Despite facing setbacks in getting the proposal certified, ALG remains determined to push for the rights of Arkansas women. The group’s statement indicated that they will not back down and will remember this decision in November. Wood highlighted the importance of following the law when it comes to changing the state constitution, emphasizing the rigorous process required for such amendments.
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