Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Montana, Missouri, And South Dakota Abortion Rights Ballot Pushes Advance
AP: Abortion Rights Supporters Report Having Enough Signatures To Qualify For Montana Ballot
An initiative to ask voters if they want to protect the right to a pre-viability abortion in Montana’s constitution has enough signatures to appear on the November ballot, supporters said Friday. County election officials have verified 74,186 voter signatures, more than the 60,359 needed for the constitutional initiative to go before voters. It has also met the threshold of 10% of voters in 51 House Districts — more than the required 40 districts, Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights said. (Hanson, 7/19)
Missouri Independent: Missouri Abortion Rights And Minimum Wage Campaigns On Track For November Ballot
Citizen-led ballot measures to enshrine abortion rights in the Missouri constitution and mandate paid sick leave and an increased minimum wage remain on track to make November’s ballot, with records from Missouri election authorities showing each campaign has turned in more than enough valid signatures as the verification process continues. (Spoerre, 7/19)
AP: South Dakota Anti-Abortion Group Appeals Ruling That Dismissed Its Lawsuit Over Ballot Initiative
An anti-abortion group in South Dakota has appealed to the state’s Supreme Court after a judge dismissed its lawsuit to take an abortion rights initiative off the November ballot. In a statement, Life Defense Fund Co-Chair Leslee Unruh said the group has asked for an expedited order from the court “because there are absolutely no legal grounds for this dismissal.” The appeal was filed Wednesday. “We will do everything we can to move this case as fast as possible,” she said. (7/19)
KFF Health News: Journalists Discuss Abortion In GOP Platform And How Idaho's Ban Drove Away OB-GYNs
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media in the last couple of weeks to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances. (7/20)
Kansas Reflector: Political Rhetoric About Third Trimester Abortion Is Misleading, Experts Say
It’s an oft-repeated talking point of anti-abortion rights groups and Republican politicians, before and after the June 2022 Dobbs decision — that those who are supportive of abortion rights also must be in favor of abortions that happen during the last weeks of pregnancy, or even “after birth.” Former President Donald Trump brought it up in the June debate against President Joe Biden, saying Biden’s position on restoring abortion access would lead to doctors being able to “take the life of the baby in the ninth month, and even after birth.” (Moseley-Morris, 7/20)
