For Immediate Release: July 10, 2024
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Abortion Lobby in Hot Water for Ignoring Signature Gathering Laws
in AR, NY, SD, MT
Little Rock, Ark. – Arkansas’ proposed all-trimester abortion amendment will not be on the ballot this November due to pro-abortion activists’ failure to follow state law in gathering signatures. This afternoon, Secretary of State John Thurston announced Arkansans for Limited Government did not fully comply with the laws regarding paid canvassers who were collecting sensitive voter information to put abortion on the ballot.
The development puts Arkansas on a growing list of states where the abortion lobby has not followed signature gathering requirements. Litigation is currently underway in South Dakota where signature gatherers did not provide the legally required sworn statements from circulators. In New York, a judge ruled their abortion amendment could not be placed on the ballot due to the failure to secure an attorney general opinion before the legislature voted on the measure. This week, Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen made headlines for telling abortion activists they must follow the requirement to collect signatures from qualified voters that is in state law.
SBA Pro-Life America Southern Regional Director Caitlin Connors welcomed the news:
“We celebrate that unborn children and their mothers will continue to be protected in the state of Arkansas. The abortion lobby is trying to deceive voters in red states across our nation into voting for amendments that enshrine all-trimester abortion, remove parental rights and eviscerate women’s health protections this year. As they attempt to cut corners in the process in the pro-life state of Arkansas, Secretary of State John Thurston has taken a stand to ensure that pro-abortion activists must follow the same state laws that apply to every other ballot campaign.
“Today’s development is a win. It not only preserves the law that protects 3,133 babies in the womb annually but also guards women from a predatory abortion lobby that would remove every single safety regulation on abortion businesses from the books under this amendment and endanger mothers’ lives.”
Florida is the only red state guaranteed to have abortion on the ballot thus far. Ballot measures in five other red states are still in process. Signatures in Arizona, Missouri and Nebraska are being processed by their secretaries of state and litigation is challenging the placement of measures in South Dakota and Montana.
In March, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders took steps to increase the state’s support of pregnant and post-partum women. Sanders issued an executive order to immediately enroll more mothers in health care and establish a committee to:
- Create a pilot program in five counties to increase prenatal care access.
- Develop an ad campaign informing the public on maternal health and resources.
- Explore making changes to Medicaid and health innovations through grants and public-private partnerships.
- Expand proven treatment protocols for pregnant and post-partum women in hospitals across the state.
- Develop a statewide analytics reporting structure for maternal health.
- Consider strategies to expand telehealth, home visits and doula services.
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is a network of more than one million pro-life Americans nationwide, dedicated to ending abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives, with a special calling to promote pro-life women leaders.
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