Arkansas' proposed all-trimester abortion amendment will not appear on the ballot this November due to pro-abortion activists’ failure to adhere to state law in gathering signatures. Secretary of State John Thurston announced that Arkansans for Limited Government did not fully comply with regulations concerning paid canvassers who were collecting sensitive voter information.

This development places Arkansas among a growing list of states where the abortion lobby has failed to meet signature gathering requirements. In South Dakota, litigation is ongoing as signature gatherers did not provide the legally required sworn statements from circulators. Similarly, in New York, a judge ruled that their abortion amendment could not be placed on the ballot due to the failure to secure an attorney general opinion before the legislature voted on the measure. Recently, Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen emphasized that abortion activists must follow state laws requiring signatures from qualified voters.

SBA Pro-Life America Southern Regional Director Caitlin Connors responded positively to the news: “We celebrate that unborn children and their mothers will continue to be protected in the state of Arkansas. The abortion lobby is trying to deceive voters in red states across our nation into voting for amendments that enshrine all-trimester abortion, remove parental rights and eviscerate women’s health protections this year. As they attempt to cut corners in the process in the pro-life state of Arkansas, Secretary of State John Thurston has taken a stand to ensure that pro-abortion activists must follow the same state laws that apply to every other ballot campaign.”

Connors further stated: “Today’s development is a win. It not only preserves the law that protects 3,133 babies in the womb annually but also guards women from a predatory abortion lobby that would remove every single safety regulation on abortion businesses from the books under this amendment and endanger mothers’ lives.”

Currently, Florida remains the only red state guaranteed to have an abortion measure on its ballot. Ballot measures are still being processed in five other red states. Signatures are being verified by secretaries of state in Arizona, Missouri, and Nebraska, while litigation challenges are underway regarding measures in South Dakota and Montana.

In March, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders took steps to increase support for pregnant and postpartum women by issuing an executive order aimed at enrolling more mothers in healthcare and establishing a committee.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is a network comprising over one million pro-life Americans nationwide dedicated to ending abortion through electing national leaders and advocating for life-saving laws with a focus on promoting pro-life women leaders.

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