Ruling advances abortion petition in Nevada

A petition to protect reproductive freedoms in the Nevada Constitution can advance to the November ballot, the State Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Justices determined the District Court made errors in an earlier ruling, saying, “The initiative petition has a single subject: the establishment of a fundamental right to reproductive freedom. All the provisions of the initiative petition are germane or functionally related to that subject. Additionally, the description of effect is legally sufficient, as it is a straightforward, succinct, and nonargumentative,” justices wrote.

The District Court had ruled the petition violated the single subject requirement.

Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom plans to place an initiative petition on the ballot that would establish a constitutional right to reproductive freedom. The initiative petition would grant every individual a right to make their own decisions regarding all matters related to a pregnancy, including prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, vasectomy, tubal ligation, abortion, abortion care, management of a miscarriage, and infertility care.

Petition organizers have collected more than 160,000 signatures and say they plan to submit a petition to qualify for the 2024 ballot.

State law already protects abortion rights.

Putting the language into the Nevada Constitution requires voter approval in two consecutive elections. If the ballot initiative passes a first time, it would go to a vote again in 2026. If approved again, it would become law.

“Today’s decision is a resounding victory for our movement that builds on our momentum as we fight to lock the right to reproductive freedom into our state constitution. As anti-abortion extremists continue to attack our fundamental rights — from abortion to birth control to fertility treatments — this decision recognizes that reproductive freedom includes all reproductive health care,” a statement released by Reproductive Freedom for All Nevada said.

“Every individual has a fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which entails the right to make and effectuate decisions about all matters relating to pregnancy, including, without limitation, prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, vasectomy, tubal ligation, abortion, abortion care, management of a miscarriage and infertility care,” the initial petition said.