Arkansas House calls for vote against abortion amendment

With a key campaign milestone fast approaching, Republicans in the House of Representatives have made a statement opposing a measure that would restore some access to abortion in the state.

The Arkansas House of Representatives passed a resolution Wednesday opposing a proposed state constitutional amendment to legalize abortion before 18 weeks of pregnancy and calling on voters to do the same.

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

The proposed amendment, which advocates are working to get on the November ballot, would allow abortion within 18 weeks of conception and in cases of rape, incest and fatal fetal abnormalities, and protect the health of the mother.

The voting committee that sponsors the polling place, Arkansans for Limited Government, faces a July 5 deadline to collect more than 90,000 signatures in 50 of the state’s 75 counties. If they don’t meet that threshold, the amendment fails by default.

Under the laws currently in effect in Arkansas, abortion is only allowed in the event of an emergency to save the life of the mother. There were no abortions performed in Arkansas in 2023, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.

“This is not anti-democracy, this does not undermine the process,” Rose said in an address to the House before the vote. “I believe 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, which was echoed during Wednesday’s session by several Democrats in the House of Representatives, including Rep. Andrew Collins, D-Little Rock.

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

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

Collins called the resolution “arrogant” in spirit.

Rose and several others, including Rep. Julie Mayberry, R-Hensley, argued in favor of the resolution on the merits of the proposed abortion amendment, saying the amendment was wrong and contrary to the values of Arkansans.

“It is our job to explain to our constituents what these amendments are and what we stand on,” said Rep. Hope Duke, R-Gravette.

“Many of us were elected based on these issues, and by not encouraging and taking advantage of our opportunities to explain our position to them, I think we are doing them a disservice.”

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

“I am happy that the resolution has been tabled because I want the public to be aware that activists are now collecting signatures to approve the amendment,” she said.