Pro-Lifers Warn 'Extremely Deceptive' Amendments to Open Abortion Floodgates in Many States in 2024

ARKANSAS – Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, abortion advocates throughout the country have been hard at work trying to expand abortion in many states that restricted it after the court's decision.  As pro-life groups are battling the abortion effort, CBN News visited the state of Arkansas to see what they're up against.
 
"Decline to sign" is the theme of Arkansas pro-life advocates as they fight to keep a state abortion ban in place.
 
Abigail DeJarnatt of Counteract USA said, "Arkansas is the most pro-life state in the union. The only reason a woman can get an abortion in Arkansas is for a medical emergency."
 
The goal of these rallies is to convince voters not to approve an amendment initiative on the November ballot.   The amendment aims to enshrine abortion access in the state constitution.
 
Arkansas was one of 13 states with a trigger law that banned abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. The Dobbs ruling allows states to decide the issue on their own.  

***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***

So far, abortion advocates have seen success in six states to make abortion legal again through the voting process. In 2024, there are efforts in as many as 13 more. 

"The key thing to know about these ballot initiatives all across the country is that they permanently change state constitutions. The elected officials cannot go back and reverse the effects of the abortion amendment should they make it into your state constitution," DeJarnatt said.
 
Here in Arkansas, 90,000 signatures must be gathered by July 5 to get the measure on the November ballot. Local abortion advocates are confident they'll reach that number.
 
Gennie Diaz, founder of the grassroots group For Arkansas People said, "We have momentum on our side, we have Ohio, Kansas, Kentucky with the governor's race, Michigan. All of these states give us hope that, with the direct access of the people, we can restore access for some abortion services in this state. This is a great amendment for people who may have nuanced views or may identify more in the middle." 
 
According to Arkansas pro-life groups, what abortion advocates are not telling people during these signature drives is how their efforts, if successful, will open the floodgates to abortion on demand at places like Planned Parenthood throughout Arkansas.  
 
DeJarnatt warns, "It's an extremely deceptive amendment."

**Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the FREE CBN News app***

Sheila Pursell of Northwest Arkansas Respect Life told us, "They want abortion legal for any reason up to 18 weeks which is basically 20 weeks for the baby. Then after that, it would be for rape, incest or health of the mother; and health can be defined as 'I am feeling depressed.' And the definition of health can be by the abortionist."
 
Some people might support the abortion measure because of concerns about mothers being at risk from rare complications. But the amendment actually removes all safeguards that exist to protect women.
 
Pursell said, "If they knew that this law would make null and void all the pro-life laws in the state of Arkansas – that means no parental consent for minors, that means no health inspections on the abortion centers – if they knew the full extent, the extreme nature of this amendment, they would be against it."

***'Elective Abortions Being Forced on Doctors': Pro-Life Doctors Push Back, SCOTUS to Weigh In 

To keep the measure off the ballot, Arkansas pro-life organizations, churches, legislators and citizens are joining forces to educate and mobilize.
 
Allie Paris of CounterAct USA said, "In a matter of a week, members for the Arkansas Coalition for Life had gone to over 300 churches in the Northwest Arkansas area. So we've taken that strategy and started doing it all across the state."
 
Pro-life advocates say they'll continue the fight to ensure abortion access that voters have approved in other states, doesn't happen in Arkansas.
 
"It's so important that we win this. It is a life or death situation," Paris said.
 
It's not clear yet how many states will vote on measures to enshrine abortion access in November.  For some states, it's a question of getting enough signatures. In others, like Florida, their abortion amendment is facing arguments in the state Supreme Court.