Arkansas court orders state to count signatures collected by volunteers for abortion-rights measure

Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court has ordered the state to initially count signatures that were collected by volunteers in favor of putting an abortion rights measure on the ballot. Justices on Tuesday night issued a one-page order that stopped short of ruling on whether a lawsuit over the proposal can move forward. The group behind the measure sued after the state rejected petitions it submitted. The state has argued organizers did not submit proper documentation. The proposed constitutional amendment would scale back an Arkansas ban on abortion that took effect when Roe v. Wade was overturned.