Arkansas Abortion Amendment Does Not Have Planned Parenthood’s Support: A.P.

This article is part of an ongoing series tracking the Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024 and examining its effects on state law.

Last week the Associated Press reported that the Arkansas Abortion Amendment does not have support from Planned Parenthood Great Plains — the abortion giant’s regional affiliate over Arkansas.

The Arkansas Abortion Amendment would legalize abortion by writing it into the Arkansas Constitution.

The measure prevents the Arkansas Legislature from restricting abortion during the first five months of pregnancy — which would potentially allow thousands of elective abortions in Arkansas every year.

It also contains sweeping health exceptions for abortion throughout all nine months, and it nullifies all state laws that conflict with the amendment — putting basic restrictions like parental consent and informed consent laws in jeopardy.

However, the Associated Press reports the amendment may not go far enough for Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading abortion provider.

The A.P. writes,

The measure [in Arkansas] would bar laws banning abortion in the first 20 weeks of gestation and allow abortion later in pregnancy in cases of rape, incest, threats to the woman’s health or life, or if the fetus would be unlikely to survive birth. Because it allows limits as soon as 20 weeks, the proposal does not have the support of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which includes Arkansas.

In December, the Arkansas Abortion Support Network expressed reservations about an earlier draft of the proposed abortion amendment in a statement online, indicating the group would prefer a ballot measure “that does not . . . limit abortion access in the state.”

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

Guest Column: The Decline of WPATH

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) is one of the leading medical associations pushing for the chemical and surgical “gender transition” of minors. In just the last year, WPATH has witnessed a dramatic drop in membership.  

In January 2023, WPATH had over 4,000 global members, including over 3,000 in the United States. As of this month, membership is down to just under 1,600, a 60% drop in membership. U.S. members make up 80% of that number. 

At the same time, more and more European countries are slowing down the push for “gender transition” interventions, mostly because there is no compelling research that such interventions lead to long-term health. In fact, those who pursue chemical and surgical transition are more likely to commit suicide, not less.  

Still, the U.S. government continues to push, and organizations like WPATH continue to proclaim, so-called “gender-affirming care” as gospel truth instead of what it is: the ideologically driven destruction of minors. Christians must not sit this one out. Too much is at stake. 

Copyright 2024 by the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. Reprinted from BreakPoint.org with permission.

Pro-Lifers Form Official Campaigns to Defeat Arkansas Abortion Amendment

Pro-life organizations are organizing campaigns to defeat an abortion proposal in Arkansas.

The Arkansas Abortion Amendment would legalize abortion by writing it into the Arkansas Constitution.

The measure prevents the Arkansas Legislature from restricting abortion during the first five months of pregnancy — which would potentially allow thousands of elective abortions in Arkansas every year.

It also contains sweeping health exceptions for abortion throughout all nine months, and it nullifies all state laws that conflict with the amendment — putting basic restrictions like parental consent and informed consent laws in jeopardy.

Pro-life organizations in the state are pushing back and launching campaigns against the amendment.

The Arkansas Ethics Commission website indicates the group Arkansans for Common Sense filed a Statement of Organization on Friday, announcing it “will advocate the disqualification and defeat of the Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024.” The group’s members include pro-life leaders from Arkansas.

Last week the group NWA Coalition for Life also filed a Statement of Organization announcing it will advocate the defeat of the abortion amendment. The group includes pro-life leaders from the Northwest Arkansas area.

As we have written before, Arkansas Right to Life has announced a Decline to Sign campaign encouraging voters not to sign petitions for the amendment.

Ozark Right to Life, a local chapter of Arkansas Right to Life, is working against the measure as well, and pro-lifers have begun sharing information about the abortion amendment on social media.

You can download a copy of the abortion amendment here.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.