Repro Rights Reports
Update about 2024 ballot initiatives
Posted on April 16, 2024
Here are the eleven states where abortion rights ballot initiatives will probably be on the ballot in November 2024:
Arizona
Arizona for Abortion Access is gathering signatures for a ballot measure to make abortion a constitutional right. The Arizona Supreme Court recently upheld an 1864 territorial law that bans and criminalizes almost all abortions. The campaign must submit 383,923 valid signatures by July 3 and the coalition has already gathered more than enough.
Arkansas
Arkansans for Limited Government is gathering signatures that would keep the state from restricting abortion within the first 18 weeks. Current state law totally bans abortion. The group must submit 90,704 valid signatures by July 5 and probably will.
Colorado
Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom is gathering signatures for a measure to guarantee the right to abortion and allow insurance coverage of abortion. (A group called Colorado Life Initiative might get sufficient signatures to propose a total ban on abortion.) An initiative requires 124,238 valid signatures and the abortion rights coalition has already collected 225,000 signatures statewide.
Florida
Floridians Protecting Freedom is leading an effort to place in the state constitution a right to abortion until viability. The state Supreme Court ruled in April that the state’s constitution does not protect abortion rights and a six-week ban will soon take effect. Abortion rights advocates have gathered their signatures and the Supreme Court ruled it can go on the November ballot.
Maryland
The state legislature put a constitutional right to abortion on the November ballot. Right to Reproductive Freedom initiative is campaigning for it.
Missouri
Missourians for Constitutional Freedom is leading the effort for an abortion rights initiative. The group must submit at least 171,592 valid signatures by May 5.
Montana
Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights is leading the fight for an abortion rights initiative. In April, the Montana Supreme Court approved language for the measure and the advocates must submit 60,359 valid signatures by July 19.
Nebraska
Protect Our Rights proposes a constitutional amendment to protect the right to abortion until fetal viability, and has until July to collect signatures. (A somewhat antiabortion coalition seeks an amendment that would allow abortion only in the first trimester.)
Nevada
Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom is pushing for an abortion rights constitutional amendment. This effort is a bit complicated and currently tied up in court, but advocates are hopeful of winning on appeal. The campaign must submit 102,362 valid signatures by June 26.
New York
The state legislature placed an abortion rights constitutional amendment on the November ballot. It adds language to the state’s Equal Rights Amendment.
South Dakota
Dakotans for Health is proposing a ballot measure that would protect first-trimester abortions. This one, which requires 35,017 signatures by May 7, is probably the least likely of these to make it onto the ballot. We’ll soon see.
Voters enshrine abortion rights in the Ohio constitution
Posted on November 15, 2023
In Ohio’s November 2023 General Election, Issue 1, a citizen-led initiative for abortion rights, was approved by a margin of 57-to-43 percent. This ballot measure amends the state constitution, which was the only way...
How governors have used executive orders to protect abortion rights
Posted on August 8, 2023
The following is the appendix from an excellent Guttmacher Institute Policy Analysis, July 2023 May 25, 2022 • MICHIGAN (Executive Directive 2022-5) Protection from out-of-state investigations Other directives or protections: State agencies must evaluate...
Abortion rights constitutional amendments coming in 2023-24
Posted on May 31, 2023
In 2022, in all six states where the abortion issue was on the ballot in 2022, the pro-abortion rights position won. Three of those were constitutional amendments to protect abortion rights: In California: The legislature placed...
Abortion rights victories in late 2022
Posted on November 29, 2022
Victories in California The Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance that prohibits any Crisis Pregnancy Center from misrepresenting the health services it offers, including lies about abortion services, and provides individuals legal recourse...
The many unknowns now that Roe is overturned
Posted on June 29, 2022
The Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade created numerous grave legal issues. Here are some of them: Can individuals be prosecuted for having an abortion? It depends. Whether or not to prosecute will...
Proactive abortion rights victories in 2022
Posted on May 17, 2022
Preparing for the upcoming disaster of SCOTUS overruling Roe v. Wade, many blue states have taken action to strengthen abortion rights. All of the following were passed in 2022: Statutory and constitutional protections for...
Where abortion will be illegal if Roe is overturned
Posted on April 1, 2022
From Stateline using Guttmacher reports:
New Jersey passes bill to guarantee the right to abortion
Posted on January 11, 2022
The bill, NJ SB 49 (2022), will soon be signed into law. The key language is this: Every individual present in the State, including, but not limited to, an individual who is under State...
Abortion Rights Enacted in 2021
Posted on October 4, 2021
There were not many proactive abortion rights bills enacted in the 2021 legislative sessions, but a few of them are terrific models for other states. Colorado SB 142 by Sen. Kerry Donovan The state...