In a recent development, the Arkansas secretary of state has rejected the efforts to place a constitutional amendment that would enshrine abortion rights on the November ballot. The rejection came as the organizers, Arkansans for Limited Government, failed to submit the required paperwork along with their signatures.

John Thurston, a Republican and the Arkansas Secretary of State, wrote a letter to the organization stating that they did not provide statements explaining the signature-collection process to their paid canvassers or identify them by name. This failure led to the rejection of their submission. Thurston cited that other sponsors of initiative petitions had complied with the requirements, making this rejection necessary.

Rebecca Bobrow, a spokesperson for Arkansans for Limited Government, confirmed receiving the letter and mentioned that their legal team was carefully reviewing it. The group had earlier announced that they had collected over 100,000 signatures, surpassing the required amount before the July 5 deadline. However, Thurston's letter stated that there were 14,143 signatures affected by the lack of required paperwork, leaving the group short of the necessary number.

The effort to place a pro-abortion rights amendment on the fall ballot has been launched in 11 states, including Arkansas. While the proposal has made it onto the ballot in six states, namely Colorado, Maryland, Florida, South Dakota, Nevada, and New York, further steps are required for the initiatives in Arizona, Missouri, Montana, and Nebraska to be certified for the ballot. In fact, Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights has filed a lawsuit alleging that the Montana secretary of state's office is unlawfully blocking the verification of potentially thousands of valid signatures.

Notably, Arkansas has faced strong opposition to abortion rights, with a highly conservative stance on the issue. The state's strict law enacted in 2022 bans almost all abortions, with exceptions only for cases where the mother's life is at risk. In 2023, the Arkansas Department of Health reported zero abortions performed in the state, solidifying its position as the "most pro-life state in America" according to American United for Life, an anti-abortion rights group.

It is worth mentioning that Arkansans for Limited Government does not have the support or backing of major national abortion rights groups like Planned Parenthood. The organization has criticized their proposed measure, stating that it does not go far enough in expanding abortion access. The amendment aims to protect abortion access up to 18 weeks after fertilization and extends that protection in cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal anomaly, and when the life or physical health of the pregnant woman is at risk.

As of now, Arkansans for Limited Government is evaluating their next steps following the rejection of their submission. The decision of the Arkansas secretary of state further complicates the ongoing battle over reproductive rights in the state and highlights the deeply entrenched divide on the issue.