Proposition 139 - Proposed by Initiative Petition Relating to the Fundamental Right to an Abortion.

Summary

This amendment would establish a fundamental right to abortion that the state of Arizona may not interfere with before the point of fetal viability

A "yes" vote shall have the effect of creating a fundamental right to abortion under Arizona's constitution. The State will not be able to interfere with this fundamental right before fetal viability unless it has a compelling reason and does so in the least restrictive way possible. Fetal viability means the point in the pregnancy when, in the good-faith judgment of a treating health care professional, the fetus has a significant likelihood of survival outside the uterus. Throughout the pregnancy, both before and after fetal viability, the State will not be able to interfere with the good-faith judgment of a treating health care professional that an abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant individual. The State will not be able to penalize any person for aiding or assisting a pregnant individual in exercising the right to an abortion.

A "no" vote shall have the effect of not creating a fundamental right to have an abortion under Arizona's constitution, will leave in place current laws that restrict abortion before fetal viability, and will allow the State to further restrict or ban abortion in the future.

Arguments

"Unfortunately, most voters are not told that under this unregulated, unlimited abortion amendment they will lose the required medical doctor, critical and commonsense safety standards for girls and women seeking abortion, and moms and dads will be shut out of their minor daughter's abortion decision, leaving her to go through the painful and scary process alone. Abortion is legal in Arizona up to 15-weeks and we have common sense safety precautions to protect girls and women. It's reckless to lose those safety precautions just to expand abortion beyond what most voters support." - Cindy Dahlgren, Spokesperson, Center for Arizona Policy, in opposition to Proposition 139 (Learn more)

"Governor Hobbs and her pro-abortion allies will pour millions into deceiving the voters about the upcoming amendment that permits abortion on demand when babies can feel pain and survive outside the womb. We must defeat this extreme measure that would force Arizonans to pay for abortions and eliminate health protections for women." - Marjorie Dannenfelser, President, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, in opposition to Proposition 139 (Learn more)

"There's been a lot of confusion about what the status of the law in Arizona has been, ensuring this right in the constitution gives Arizona voters the certainty that they'll need to understand what their reproductive rights are and, again, take those matters back into their own hands and make those personal healthcare decisions with their families and their medical providers." - Chris Love, Arizona for Abortion Access, in support of Proposition 139 (Learn more)

"As healthcare professionals across Arizona, we support the Arizona Abortion Access Act, the amendment to restore reproductive freedoms in the state and put families back in charge of medical decisions. This amendment simply restores the rights Arizonans had for the past 50 years, before Roe v. Wade was overturned. That means Arizonans will again have the freedom to make their own decisions about pregnancy and abortion, without politicians interfering." - Committee to Protect Healthcare, in support of Proposition 139 (Learn more)

Measure Details