By Tess Vrbin, Arkansas Advocate
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin will review a third draft of a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee a limited right to abortion.
Arkansans for Limited Government, a ballot question committee supporting the amendment, submitted the draft Monday after Griffin rejected the second draft last week. Griffin wrote in Thursday’s opinion that the drafters had addressed most of the issues he had with the first iteration of the amendment, which was proposed and rejected in November.
The Arkansas Abortion Amendment would not allow state government to “prohibit, penalize, delay or restrict abortion services within 18 weeks of fertilization.” Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, abortion has been illegal in Arkansas except to save the life of a pregnant person in an undefined “medical emergency.”
The proposed amendment would also permit abortion services in cases of rape, incest, a fatal fetal anomaly or “to protect a pregnant female’s life or to protect a pregnant female from a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury.”
Previous versions of the proposal were less specific about the exemption to protect the health of the pregnant individual.
Arkansans for Limited Government expects Griffin to approve the proposal since it addresses the last of his concerns from earlier drafts, according to a press release from the group.
“Barring any surprises, we eagerly anticipate certification of the proposed amendment, and we hope to begin signature collection as soon as the office gives the go-ahead,” AFLG Treasurer Jim McHugh said in the press release.
With Griffin’s approval, supporters of the amendment must then collect 90,704 signatures from registered voters by July 5 to qualify for the November ballot.
The Arkansas Advocate is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to tough, fair daily reporting and investigative journalism that holds public officials accountable and focuses on the relationship between the lives of Arkansans and public policy.
Have a news tip or event to promote? Email White River Now at news@whiterivernow.com. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. And don’t forget to download the White River Now mobile app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Get up-to-date local and regional news/weather every weekday morning and afternoon from the First Community Bank Newsroom on Arkansas 103.3 KWOZ. White River Now updates are also aired weekday mornings on 93 KZLE, Outlaw 106.5, and Your FM 99.5.
