Article Summary –
The group behind Constitutional Initiative 128, Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights (MSRR), claims to have gathered over 117,000 signatures, sufficient to put the proposal of enshrining a right to abortion in the Montana Constitution on the November ballot. Each signature must be checked by local election administrators before the proposal is accepted, and the campaign has received over $3 million in contributions to support its efforts. The initiative has faced opposition from various groups and legal clashes with Attorney General Austin Knudsen, with critics arguing that the proposal bundles too many components together and could lead to unanticipated consequences.
Montana Abortion Initiative Likely to Feature on November Ballot
Ignoring legal holdups and staunch opposition, advocates for Constitutional Initiative 128, aimed to affirm abortion rights in Montana Constitution, have reportedly gathered sufficient signatures to place the proposal on the November ballot. The initiative’s backers, Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights (MSRR), announced at a press conference that it had accumulated over 117,000 signatures since early April.
The collection of signatures now awaits verification by county election administrators, a process that will take several weeks. Constitutional Initiative 128 also requires at least 604 signatures from registered voters in 40 out of Montana’s 100 House districts.
Significant Support
CI-128 sponsor coalition, which includes Forward Montana, ACLU of Montana, and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana, expressed confidence over surpassing the requirements. “We collected signatures in every county across Montana,” said Akilah Deernose, Executive Director of the ACLU of Montana.
Opposing groups such as Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Montana Life Defense Fund have yet to comment on MSRR’s recent announcement. MSRR started delivering boxes of signature petition forms to county election administrators last week, with exact signature counts still needing verification.
Funding and Future Plans
MSRR has amassed millions of dollars to fuel its campaign in the coming months. Their largest contributions hail from out-of-state sources such as Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s political action committee, the Sixteen Thirty Fund and The Fairness Project. Martha Fuller, Head of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana, revealed plans for a “serious field and media campaign” to educate voters about the initiative.
Currently, Montana maintains legal abortion under the state constitution’s right to privacy, established by the Montana Supreme Court in 1999. If passed, CI-128 presents a new framework to safeguard abortion access, with its scope and application likely to be defined over the coming years.
Opposition and Legal Disputes
Opposition to CI-128 has been vocal, with anti-abortion groups campaigning heavily against it. They argue that if passed, the measure could lead to more late-term abortions and potentially bolster human trafficking. Attorney General Austin Knudsen, who previously called for Montana’s existing abortion laws to be overturned, has also voiced opposition, arguing the proposal contains too many different elements.
MSRR and its supporters remain resilient despite obstacles. Theresa Da Silva, a paid CI-128 signature collector, said, “Their goal was to intimidate us…I know for myself, it just made me dig in a little harder and say, nope, we’re going to get this on the ballot.”
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