Earlier this week the Attorney General’s office approved a referendum by “Arkansans for Limited Government” to change the state’s abortion law. The group must get more than 90,000 signatures to get the amendment onto the ballot in November 2024. “The ball was in the AGs. Court for a long time, and they kicked it over to us,” For AR People executive director Gennie Diaz said. ‘We’re ready to get to work.”The signatures must come from 50 different Arkansas counties and the required number in each county is based on voter turnout in previous elections. On Sunday afternoon the group hosted a rally near the Fayetteville Square to start collecting signatures. “Anyone who believes in the direct democracy process, which is guaranteed by the Arkansas constitution,” Diaz said.The rally was also met with some opposition, as a group of people stood across the way holding pro-life signs. “I think it’s great that we live in a democracy where people’s voices can be heard,” NWA resident Kolbi Bowes said. “I don’t think that means that we should support everything that people say.” The new amendment would make abortion legal up to 18 weeks into pregnancy for any reason. “The solution is to prevent this from getting to the to the ballot in November,” Bowes said. There would also be other cases that would allow for abortion past 18 weeks including rape, incest, and fatal fetal anomaly. “We need to make sure that it’s accessible when everybody needs it, no matter what number of weeks no matter their situation,” Fayetteville resident Sarah Thompson said. Thompson was forced to travel to New York from Arkansas in 1971 to get an abortion. “I don’t want other young women to have a similar experience,” Thompson said. “They need to have access to health care that they need.”
Earlier this week the Attorney General’s office approved a referendum by “Arkansans for Limited Government” to change the state’s abortion law.
The group must get more than 90,000 signatures to get the amendment onto the ballot in November 2024.
“The ball was in the AGs. Court for a long time, and they kicked it over to us,” For AR People executive director Gennie Diaz said. ‘We’re ready to get to work.”
The signatures must come from 50 different Arkansas counties and the required number in each county is based on voter turnout in previous elections.
On Sunday afternoon the group hosted a rally near the Fayetteville Square to start collecting signatures.
“Anyone who believes in the direct democracy process, which is guaranteed by the Arkansas constitution,” Diaz said.
The rally was also met with some opposition, as a group of people stood across the way holding pro-life signs.
“I think it’s great that we live in a democracy where people’s voices can be heard,” NWA resident Kolbi Bowes said. “I don’t think that means that we should support everything that people say.”
The new amendment would make abortion legal up to 18 weeks into pregnancy for any reason.
“The solution is to prevent this from getting to the to the ballot in November,” Bowes said.
There would also be other cases that would allow for abortion past 18 weeks including rape, incest, and fatal fetal anomaly.
“We need to make sure that it’s accessible when everybody needs it, no matter what number of weeks no matter their situation,” Fayetteville resident Sarah Thompson said.
Thompson was forced to travel to New York from Arkansas in 1971 to get an abortion.
“I don’t want other young women to have a similar experience,” Thompson said. “They need to have access to health care that they need.”
