Arkansas abortion ban may be scaled back, if group can collect enough signatures

By ANDREW DeMILLO
Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A proposal to scale back Arkansas’ abortion ban has cleared its first hurdle toward getting on the November ballot. Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin on Tuesday approved the wording of the measure prohibiting the state from banning abortion within the first 18 weeks of pregnancy. The measure includes exemptions for rape, incest and fatal fetal anomalies. Arkansas’ abortion ban took effect last year when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The group behind the new measure has until July 5 to gather nearly 91,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot. The group says it will begin gathering signatures this weekend.