ARIZONA NEWS

Arizona abortion initiative backers sue to remove ‘unborn human being’ from voter pamphlet

Jul 12, 2024, 8:30 AM

Arizona abortion rights activists carry boxes of petition signatures....

FILE - Arizona abortion-rights supporters deliver over 800,000 petition signatures to the capitol to get abortion rights on the November general election ballot Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Phoenix. Backers of a November ballot initiative that will ask voters if abortion rights should be enshrined in Arizona's constitution have sued a GOP-led legislative committee that seeks to include proposed language for the voter pamphlet that currently refers to a fetus as an "unborn human being.” (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

PHOENIX — Backers of a November abortion rights ballot initiative have sued a GOP-led legislative committee that seeks to include proposed language for the voter pamphlet referring to a fetus as an “unborn human being.”

Arizona for Abortion Access filed a lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court on Wednesday, asking that a judge refuse to allow the language favored by a Republican-dominated legislative group for the initiative summary. The summary will appear on a pamphlet voters can use to decide how to cast their ballots.

Abortion rights is a central issue in Democratic campaigns in this year’s elections. Variations of Arizona’s ballot initiative, which will ask voters if abortion rights should be enshrined in the state constitution, have been proposed in six other states: Nebraska, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and South Dakota. New York also has a measure that advocates say would protect abortion access.

The Arizona abortion rights group says the pamphlet summary should simply use the word “fetus,” and argues that “unborn human being” is a politically charged phrase aimed at provoking opposition to the measure.

“Arizona voters have a right to clear, accurate and impartial information from the state before they are asked to vote on ballot initiatives,” the group said in a statement. “The decision of the Arizona Legislative Council fails to abide by that responsibility by rejecting the request to use the neutral, medical term ‘fetus’ in place of ‘unborn human being’ in the 2024 General Election Publicity Pamphlet.”

The proposed constitutional amendment would allow abortions in Arizona until a fetus could survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, with exceptions to save the woman’s life or to protect her physical or mental health. It would restrict the state from adopting or enforcing any law that would prohibit access to the procedure.

Arizona currently has a 15-week abortion ban.

Opponents of the proposed Arizona amendment say it could lead to unlimited and unregulated abortions in the state.

Leisa Brug, manager of the opposition It Goes Too Far campaign, argued for the term “unborn human being.”

“It shouldn’t read like an advertisement for the amendment, it should provide voters with a clear understanding of what current law states and what the amendment would do if passed.” Brug said in a statement.

Organizers in Arizona earlier this month said they had submitted 823,685 signatures, far more than the 383,923 required from registered voters. County election officials have until Aug. 22 to verify whether enough of the signatures are valid and provide results to the Arizona secretary of state’s office.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during a vice presidential debat...

David Veenstra

JD Vance attacks Kamala Harris for border, economic inaction at rally in Scottsdale

JD Vance, the Republican nominee for vice president, appeared at a rally in Arizona on Saturday afternoon, three days before Election Day.

3 hours ago

Town of Gilbert water tower lit up at night...

Payne Moses

Study found no Arizona cities ranked among top 25 safest in America

No major Arizona city cracked the top 25 in a recent study on the safest places to live in the United States.

6 hours ago

A rendering of the future Sky Harbor Logistics building....

Roxanne De La Rosa

Real estate giant to demolish Tempe office, double land use with industrial campus

Private real estate developer Lincoln Property Co. acquired a more than 16-acre Tempe industrial property that sits minutes away from the Sky Harbor International Airport, according to a press release.

8 hours ago

Microtransit service in Phoenix gets $12.9M grant...

Serena O'Sullivan

Phoenix gets $12.9M federal grant to launch on-demand microtransit service

A microtransit service in Phoenix designed to cut down on congestion within specific city zones is set to launch thanks to an influx of federal funds.

10 hours ago

An undated photo of the sun setting over Tempe Town Lake....

Roxanne De La Rosa

Tempe Town Lake to mark 25 years of history on Sunday

This weekend Tempe Town Lake celebrates 25 years of history with a free family-friendly festival that includes music and activities for everyone.

13 hours ago

[gallery id="5621194"]...

Aaron Schmidt

Humble Bistro owners open new seafood concept in Phoenix

The owners of Humble Bistro have opened a new seafood concept, Humble Oysters & Bubbles, in Phoenix.

14 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Bright Wealth Management

Here’s how to save money on retirement planning

PHOENIX -- With inflation still going on, people planning on retiring still face many issues on when they can retire and how much money they need to achieve it.

...

Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

It wouldn’t hurt to get your AC checked after Arizona’s excruciating heat wave

A well-maintained air conditioning unit is vital to living a comfortable life inside, away from triple-digit heat in Arizona.

...

Dr. Shanyn Lancaster, Family & Sports Medicine physician, Midwestern University Comprehensive Care Clinic – Central Phoenix

Exercise is truly your best medicine

“You never slow down, you never grow old”. – Tom Petty

Arizona abortion initiative backers sue to remove ‘unborn human being’ from voter pamphlet