GOP-backed resolution in Arkansas House voices opposition to abortion ballot measure

George Fabe Russell, Fort Smith Southwest Times Record
·2 min read
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The Arkansas House of Representatives passed a resolution on Wednesday opposing a proposed state constitutional amendment to legalize abortion before 18 weeks of pregnancy and appealing to voters to do the same.

The resolution was brought by Rep. Ryan Rose, R-Van Buren, and nearly 50 other Republicans in the 100-member chamber.

The proposed amendment, which its supporters are working to get onto the November ballot, would allow for abortion within 18 weeks of fertilization and in cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal anomaly and to protect the health of the mother.

The ballot question committee sponsoring it, Arkansans for Limited Government, is up against a July 5 deadline to collect over 90,000 signatures across 50 of the 75 counties in the state. If they fail to meet that threshold, the amendment will fail by default.

Under laws currently on the books in Arkansas, abortion is only allowed in the case of an emergency to save the life of the mother. According to the Arkansas Department of Health, no abortions were performed in Arkansas in 2023.

“This is not anti-democracy, this is not undermining the process," Rose said in addressing the House before the vote. "I believe that we are actively participating in democracy and in the process.”

This came in response to criticism of the resolution in the days since it was introduced, reiterated in Wednesday’s session by several House Democrats, including Rep. Andrew Collins, D-Little Rock.

“The big concern I have with this, is that we’re purporting to tell the voters, the citizens who elected us, how to use their vote,” Collins said following Rose’s resolution.

“That distorts and inverts the typical relationship between the governed and us. They’re our bosses.”

Collins called the resolution “arrogant” in spirit.

Rose and several others, including Rep. Julie Mayberry, R-Hensley, argued for the resolution on the merits of the proposed abortion amendment, saying that the amendment was wrong and went against the values of Arkansans.

“We have a job to explain to our constituents what these amendments are and where we stand on them,” said Rep. Hope Duke, R-Gravette.

“Many of us were elected on those issues, and so to not encourage and use our opportunities to explain our point of views to them, I think we’re doing a disservice to them.”

Rep. Deborah Ferguson, D-West Memphis, saw an upshot to the House resolution, though she opposed it.

“I’m glad the resolution was brought because I want the public to be aware that canvassers are gathering signatures now to pass the amendment,” she said.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas House calls for voting against abortion amendment