Judiciary
published : 2023-11-30
Arkansas Attorney General Blocks Proposed Amendment to Abortion Ballot Measure
The proposed amendment would block Arkansas from restricting access to abortion within 18 weeks of conception
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin rejected the wording of a proposed ballot measure that seeks to repeal the state's abortion ban and prevent restrictions on the procedure within 18 weeks after conception.
The proposed constitutional amendment, titled The Arkansas Reproductive Healthcare Amendment, was submitted by the group Arkansans for Limited Government.
If approved, the amendment would block the state from limiting access to abortion within 18 weeks of conception, with exceptions for cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal anomaly, or to protect the mother's life or health.
The committee acknowledged Griffin's decision and expressed a commitment to revising the amendment.
Under Arkansas' current law, abortion is only allowed to save the mother's life in a medical emergency.
Griffin cited ambiguities in the proposal's wording and the need for a clear description of its impact on existing law as reasons for rejecting it.
The committee will work with the amendment drafter to create a revised proposal that provides the required information and is clear for Arkansas voters.
If the proposal had been certified, the committee would have started collecting signatures to qualify it for the 2024 general election.
