The Supreme Court of Arkansas upheld the state’s decision to deny a ballot measure advocating for abortion rights on Thursday. The denial came after claims that the initiative’s backers did not comply with the required documentation for paid signature collectors.
The group behind the proposal, Arkansans for Limited Government, challenged the state’s assertion, claiming they should have been allotted additional time to submit the necessary paperwork, according to the Associated Press.
In a decision split 4–3, the court stated, “We find that the Secretary correctly refused to count the signatures collected by paid canvassers because the sponsor failed to file the paid canvasser training certification.”
The proposed measure aimed to legalize abortion upon request up to the 20-week mark of pregnancy and permit it under specific conditions such as rape, incest, risk to the mother’s health, or severe fetal impairments not compatible with life beyond that period.
Planned Parenthood did not support the measure, considering its provisions too restrictive.
