N.Y. voters will not consider abortion amendment
Amendment would have expanded abortion rights
No mention of abortion
Voters in New York will not consider a proposed amendment to the state constitution that supporters said was intended to protect abortion rights. The state Board of Elections ruled that the amendment does not mention abortion, it cannot be placed on the ballot.
The board's decision came after hundreds of comments poured in asking that the board change the wording of the amendment. The proposal would have amended Article 1, Section 11 of the New York State Constitution to prohibit any person, business or government from discriminating against someone based on race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military and naval service, sex, age, disability or marital status.
Abortion rights advocates said the amendment was necessary to protect access to abortion in New York, where it is legal.
Opponents of the amendment said it was not necessary and could have unintended consequences. They argued that the amendment could have opened the door to lawsuits against businesses that refuse to provide services to same-sex couples, for example.
The Board of Elections agreed with the opponents, ruling that the amendment was too vague and could lead to unintended consequences. The board also noted that the amendment did not mention abortion, so it could not be placed on the ballot as an amendment to protect abortion rights.
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