Catholic Bishop Issues Strong Statement Against Arkansas Abortion Amendment As Opposition Grows
Opposition to a proposed abortion amendment is growing in Arkansas.
Arkansans for Limited Government is collecting petition signatures to place the Arkansas Abortion Amendment on the November ballot.
The amendment would write abortion into the state constitution, and it would prevent the Arkansas Legislature from restricting abortion during the first five months of pregnancy — allowing thousands of elective abortions on healthy women and healthy unborn children every year.
It also could pave the way for taxpayer-funded abortions through all nine months of pregnancy — something voters have opposed in the past.
But a growing list of organizations in Arkansas oppose the abortion amendment.
Arkansas Right to Life and Family Council Action Committee both have launched campaigns to disqualify and defeat the abortion measure.
Choose Life Arkansas — which is made up of pro-life leaders from across the state — has also formed a campaign to defeat the amendment.
NWA Coalition for Life filed a Statement of Organization last month announcing it is working against the abortion amendment. The group includes pro-life leaders from the Northwest Arkansas area.
On March 1 the Arkansas Committee For Ethics Policy filed paperwork with the State indicating it opposes the abortion amendment.
On Wednesday the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock also filed a Statement of Organization announcing it opposes the amendment.
In a statement of the diocese’s website, Bishop Anthony Taylor wrote,
A petition is currently being circulated in Arkansas to place an amendment on our November 2024 voting ballots that would change our state constitution to allow abortions until 18 weeks after conception. As bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock, I urge all Catholics and all people of good will not to sign this petition.
As the abortion amendment’s ballot title notes, 18 weeks after conception is the equivalent of 20 weeks gestation or the first five months of pregnancy.
The diocese also has posters and bulletin announcements available on its website. One of the announcements reads,
Catholics have duties and responsibilities as citizens, and we are called to actively participate in political life to further the common good. This means bringing our faith into the public square. . . . The intrinsically evil act of abortion must always be vigorously opposed. For this reason, Bishop Taylor is urging all Catholics not to sign the petition to put the Arkansas Abortion Amendment on our voting ballots. Please Decline to Sign.
You can download a copy of the amendment here.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
