PHOENIX – An informational pamphlet for Arizona voters who will decide in the fall whether to grant a constitutional right to abortion can refer to a fetus as an “unborn human being,” the state’s highest court ruled Wednesday.
Arizona voters will decide in November whether they want add the right to abortion to the state constitution.
The proposed change would allow abortions until the fetus can survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, with exceptions to save the mother’s life or to protect her physical or mental health. It would restrict the State from adopting or enforcing any law that prohibits access to the procedure.
Arizona Supreme Court justices in Wednesday’s ruling sided with Republican lawmakers over proponents of the abortion rights ballot measure.
The decision drew swift criticism from abortion rights advocates, who argued that the term “unborn human being” is neither impartial nor objective. They also said they were concerned that Arizonans would be subjected to biased and politically charged words.
“We are deeply disappointed by this decision, but we will not be deterred from doing everything we can to communicate to voters the truth of the Arizona Abortion Access Act and why it is critical to vote YES to restore and protect access to care of abortion this fall,” the group Arizona for Abortion Access said in a statement.
The pamphlet provides voters with information about candidates and ballot measures to help inform their choices. It was unclear, however, whether any specific language contained in the pamphlet would appear on the ballot.
The Arizona secretary of state’s office said Monday it had certified 577,971 signatures — far above the required number the coalition supporting the ballot measure had to submit to put the issue before voters.
Democrats have made abortion rights a central message since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. in 2022 — and is a key part of your efforts in this year’s elections.
