PHOENIX — After months of gathering signatures, Arizona for Abortion Access is in its final push to gather signatures for its potential ballot measure. If successful, voters in November would be deciding on a constitutional amendment known as the Arizona for Abortion Access Act.
The amendment would allow abortions up to the point of viability.
But another group, It Goes Too Far, is pushing back. They believe the potential ballot measure would create major concerns, including medical safety risks.
Arizona for Abortion Access is holding petition round-up events on Saturday. The group is just weeks away from the July 3 signature deadline.
In April, the group announced they had surpassed the needed number of signatures with no plans to stop gathering.
"Our goal is about double or approximately 800,000," said the group's Communications Director Dawn Penich.
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Penich wouldn't give ABC15 an exact number but said they are very close to their goal.
"They know that this is a right that we want restored and protected," said Penich.
In the midst of the group's push, the State Supreme Court decided in April that the law of the land would be a near-total ban on abortions, dating back to the 1860s. The state legislature eventually repealed the Arizona Supreme Court's ruling passing a 15-week limit that Governor Katie Hobbs signed into law in May. The law won't take effect 90 days after the legislative session ends.
Around the same time, a 90-day stay on the near-total ban was also granted by the State Supreme Court.
But Penich told ABC15 they want to put this decision in the hands of voters.
"We know that there are thousands of petitions out there in the hands of our seven thousand statewide volunteers," said Penich.
Notaries will be at Saturday's events, which will also serve as another chance for people to sign.
"Our eye was never on, you know, July when the signatures were due," said Cindy Dahlgren. "Our eye has always been on November."
Dahlgren is the Communications Director for the group It Goes Too Far, whom are critical and concerned about the Arizona for Abortion Access Act.
"We are using this entire time to travel the state and to educate voters on exactly what this amendment will do," said Dahlgren.
They believe it's too vague and creates medical safety concerns.
"It would get rid of those commonsense safety precautions," said Dahlgren.
The group is encouraging Arizonans to read the language themselves.
