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10 States Set to Vote on Abortion Rights Amendments in 2024 Elections
After months of collecting signatures, filing petitions, and navigating courts, constitutional amendments to safeguard or extend abortion rights are set to appear on the general election ballots in ten states.
Voters in swing states (Arizona and Nevada), blue-leaning states (Colorado, Maryland, and New York), and red-leaning states (Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota) will be able to personally decide the future of abortion access this fall. Only Arkansas organisers gathered enough signatures to qualify an abortion rights amendment for the ballot this year.
Since the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, these ten efforts will be the most recent attempts to include abortion access in state constitutions.
Here’s what the proposed amendments would do if they passed, as well as how they’d affect the states’ current abortion care legislation.
Arizona
The proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot in this critical southwestern battleground would create a “fundamental right” to abortion up until foetal viability, or around the 24th week of pregnancy. After that, the legislation would prohibit the state from regulating abortion in cases when the pregnant person’s health or life is in danger, according to the treating health care expert.
Abortion is lawful in Arizona until the 15th week of pregnancy, with exceptions for life-saving reasons and no exceptions for rape or incest. If voters accept the proposed ballot initiative in November, it will effectively end the 15-week prohibition. It requires a simple majority of votes to pass.
Colorado
Colorado’s proposed amendment would explicitly recognise the right to abortion and prohibit discrimination against its exercise.
It also specifically specifies that the government may not limit abortion coverage under health insurance plans, including those for public employees and those subsidised by the government. This legislation would effectively repeal a 1984 statute prohibiting people from using their health insurance to pay for abortion care.
The ballot measure in Colorado, where there are no abortion restrictions and no gestational limits for women seeking abortions, is meant to permanently enshrine those rights, which organisers say is critical to preventing lawmakers from undoing them in the future.
To pass in November, the proposition must receive 55% of voter support, not just a simple majority, according to state law.
Florida
The state’s ballot measure prohibits limits on abortion before foetal viability, with exceptions for “the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.”
The proposed amendment would eliminate the state’s six-week abortion restriction, with exceptions for rape, incest, and the woman’s life.
According to Florida law, the proposition needs get 60% of voter approval in November, rather than a simple majority, to pass.
Maryland
Maryland lawmakers, who control the amendment process rather than citizens, voted to place a proposition on the ballot that would include abortion rights in the state constitution.
The proposed phrase would provide the right to “make and effectuate decisions to prevent, continue, or end one’s own pregnancy.”
Abortion is already authorised in the state until foetal viability, with exceptions when the woman’s life or health is endangered or a foetal anomaly is discovered. A simple majority is required for passage.
Missouri
Missouri’s proposed amendment protects abortion rights until foetal viability, with exceptions for the mother’s life and health.
The amendment expressly states that the government “shall not deny or infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” which the amendment defines as all decisions related to reproductive health care, including “birth control,” “abortion care,” and “miscarriage care” — up until foetal viability. The plan also states that any “denial, interference, delay, or restriction” of such care is “invalid.”
After then, the government may control abortion unless a treating health care expert determines that the mother’s “life, physical, or mental health” is at risk.
The amendment allows lawmakers and state officials to restrict abortion rights if it improves or maintains a person’s health, aligns with clinical standards and evidence-based medicine, and does not interfere with their autonomy.
Missouri now has one of the harshest abortion laws in the United States, with exceptions for the mother’s life and medical emergency. If the amendment were to succeed, it would effectively repeal the statute. A simple majority is required for passage.
Montana
Montana’s ballot issue proposes amending the state constitution to grant the right to “make and carry out decisions about one’s own pregnancy, including the right to abortion.” likewise “prohibit the government from denying or burdening the right to abortion before foetal viability,” and it will “prohibit the government from denying or burdening access to an abortion when a treating healthcare professional determines it is medically indicated to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.”
Enshrining abortion rights in Montana’s constitution would make it more difficult for lawmakers to repeal present protections, as abortion is now lawful up until foetal viability. A simple majority is required for passage.
Nebraska
In Nebraska, two competing constitutional amendments will be on the November ballot.
One ballot initiative, “Protect the Right to Abortion,” would change the state’s constitution to specify that “all persons shall have a fundamental right to abortion until foetal viability, or when needed to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient.”
The other, known as “Protect Women and Children,” prohibits abortions in the second and third trimesters, with the exception of a medical emergency or a pregnancy caused by sexual assault or incest.
Nebraska law now prohibits abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy, with the exception of rape, incest, and preserving the mother’s life. The pro-abortion rights bill would virtually repeal the law, whilst the other would essentially codify it into the state constitution.
To pass in Nebraska, a ballot proposal must get a majority of the vote and at least 35% of the total votes cast in the election in favour. If both amendments pass, the one that receives the most votes wins.
Nevada
In Nevada, abortion is already permitted until the 24th week of pregnancy.To guarantee abortion rights up to foetal viability, reproductive rights campaigners successfully placed a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.
According to state law, even if the initiative succeeds in November, voters must approve it again in 2026 before the Nevada constitution is formally altered.
New York
The amendment process in New York, like in Maryland, is controlled by lawmakers rather than citizens. State legislators voted to place a referendum on the ballot that would include abortion rights in the state constitution.
The Equal Protection of Law Amendment would safeguard a person’s “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy” by enshrining rights in the state constitution, without specifically mentioning abortion.
Abortion is lawful in New York up until about the 24th week of pregnancy. Passing the plan, which requires only a simple majority, would effectively constitutionalise those projections.
South Dakota
South Dakota’s proposed constitutional amendment would legalise abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. It would permit “regulation” of abortion by the state in the second trimester of pregnancy, although such control “must be reasonably related to the physical health of the pregnant woman.”
The amendment would authorise “regulation or prohibition” by the state in the third trimester, unless a physician determines that the care is required to “preserve the life or health” of the woman.
If passed, the amendment will effectively repeal the state’s near-total abortion restriction, which was reinstated when Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. The rule, which abortion advocates claim is among the most stringent in the United States, outlaws all abortions except when necessary to save the woman’s life.
(VOR News) – On Tuesday, a TikTok business announcement was made public that stated users will be able to quickly access Lemon8, a more contemporary social networking application developed by ByteDance, using their TikTok account.
ByteDance asserts that the connection will facilitate the sharing of photographs among users and will also allow for the cross-sharing of photo content between other applications once it is established. ByteDance communicated this to us.
Despite the fact that Lemon8 will remain a distinct application, the two platforms will share a user profile to facilitate communication.
Why does TikTok do this? Lemon8 survived.
Content creators will have the capacity to access both sites with a single account, thereby enhancing convenience. One of its greatest advantages is this.
Lemon8 initiated operations in Japan in 2020, and by 2021, the company had substantially expanded its operations to include markets in the United States of America and Southeast Asia. Users have the ability to access slide shows, photo collections, and the ability to peruse material through “Following” and “For You” feeds on this platform, which is similar to their experience on Pinterest and Instagram.
Furthermore, the capacity to navigate through information is another noteworthy characteristic. A vast array of creative tools, including filters, effects, decals, text templates, and more, are available to Lemon8 users. The instruments are at their disposal.
One of the statements that the company disseminated was as follows: “At TikTok, we are dedicated to the ongoing development of our platform in order to better serve our creators.” The inclusion of Lemon8 among a variety of other photo-sharing websites is indicative of our dedication to improving the experience we offer producers.
There is no doubt in our minds that the introduction of these new tools will not only improve the creative output of individuals but also fortify the community, both of which will ultimately benefit all parties involved.
TikTok may be merging with Lemon8, as TechCrunch revealed in August 2023.
The disclosure does not startle individuals. There is a probability that TikTok will be banned in the United States concurrently with the introduction of this new feature.
By positioning Lemon8 as a companion app to TikTok, ByteDance intends to persuade producers to register for the new platform without requiring them to do so independently. It is feasible that this could serve as an approach to facilitate the transition for creators.
Conversely, it is feasible that the prohibition that TikTok has implemented would extend to other applications that are under the ownership of ByteDance, including Lemon8.
This is particularly relevant in light of the fact that the primary concern that legislators have with TikTok is the possession of the platform by Chinese firms.
Donald Trump’s recent victory may undoubtedly influence the future trajectory of TikTok. Despite the fact that Trump was the one who initially proposed making the program unlawful during his first term in office, the president-elect opted to pursue a different course of action during his campaign for the presidency in 2024.
This remains the case, despite the fact that Trump was the one who initially proposed the app’s prohibition. In the past, he had requested that his supporters vote for him if they opposed the program’s prohibition; however, he is now apprehensive that a ban on TikTok will be advantageous to Meta.
TikTok has only recently begun to accept content in the form of photographs, which is another explanation for this relationship.
This is for certain the case, despite the fact that the short-video format was the primary factor in its initial success. In 2022, TikTok introduced the ability to upload images and began testing TikTok Notes, an application that is specifically designed for photo sharing. Both of these events occurred simultaneously in the same year.
SOURCE: TC
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Trump Appoints Stephen Miller as Deputy Chief of Policy in the Incoming Government.
(VOR News) – Donald Trump, who is the incoming president, has appointed Stephen Miller, who is known for his hardline views on immigration, to the position of deputy director of policy during his administration.
Stephen Miller has served as an advisor to Trump for a considerable amount of time, and Trump has appointed him to this position.
Miller’s selection was confirmed by Vice President-elect JD Vance on Monday, when he tweeted a message of congratulations to Stephen Miller on X. The message was distributed on Twitter. In the message, Vance made the statement, “This is another fantastic pick by the president.”
Stephen Miller reported on the announcement first from Vance.
Stephen Miller is one of the employees who has been with Trump since the beginning of his first campaign for the White House. He is one of the staff members who has been with Trump for the longest period of time among those who have collaborated with him.
During the first term of President Trump’s presidency, he served as a significant adviser, and it is noteworthy that he was a prominent player in many of the policy decisions that President Trump has made, particularly with regard to immigration. Particularly important is the fact that he worked directly with President Trump.
A excellent example of this is the decision that President Trump made in 2018 to launch a deterrence program that would result in the separation of thousands This decision is a fantastic demonstration of it.
Miller was typically the public face of the principles that Trump fought for during the first year that he was in office and during his campaigns. He was also the face of the ideals that he campaigned for.
Additionally, Stephen Miller has been a contributor to the drafting of a considerable number of Trump’s speeches that are politically conservative. These speeches were delivered by this individual.
Following Stephen Miller’s resignation from his position as President of the White House, he has served in the capacity of President of America First Legal throughout this entire time.
America First Legal, a conservative organization, protects individual rights in contrast to the American Civil Liberties Union. A group of individuals who had previously worked as advisors to President Trump came together to start this organization.
This organization’s mission is to raise questions about issues such as problems regarding freedom of speech and religion, as well as concerns regarding national security.
Media, universities, and Stephen Miller all have issues.
In addition, he was a frequent presence during Trump’s campaign this year, traveling on his plane and frequently speaking in front of Trump at the pre-shows and at his rallies. He was also a frequent participant in campaign speeches. Moreover, he was a frequent speaker at rallies that were held by Trump.
Additionally, he provided a significant amount of money to the campaign that was being run. They applauded Stephen Miller at the rally that Trump hosted at Madison Square Garden in the last stretch of the race.
A significant number of people attended the rally and clapped for Stephen Miller. After the events that he described as “decades of abuse that has been heaped upon the good people of this nation — their jobs looted and stolen from them and shipped to Mexico, Asia, and foreign countries,” he addressed the audience that had gathered and declared, “Your salvation is at hand.”
He said this in response to the atrocities that had transpired. That which Stephen Miller had to say was received with a great deal of attention from the people in the crowd.
Their loved ones were murdered by criminal gangs, illegal immigrants, and thugs who had no right to be in this nation. These individuals had no grounds for being here. They were not qualified to be in this country in any way.
The election is “a choice between betrayal and renewal, between self-destruction and salvation, between the failure of America or the triumph of America,” he continued. “We stand here today at a crossroads,” he said, pointing out that the election represents “a choice between the failure of America or the triumph of America.”
What he was alluding to was a reference to the fact that both candidates were running for office at the same time.
SOURCE: AP
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Another beluga whale has died at Canada’s Marineland, raising concerns about the future of the controversial amusement park and one of the world’s largest captive whale populations. The most recent fatality is the 17th beluga to die at Niagara Falls Aquarium since 2019.
Neither the Ontario government nor the park have revealed the whale’s cause of death.
However, the province’s top animal welfare inspector stated that the quality of Marineland’s water was “within acceptable limits” and that a specialist unit of inspectors examined the water weekly.
Melanie Milczynski stated that enforcement officers have visited the park 205 times since the province took over animal welfare enforcement from the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 2020.
In late October, the whistleblower account UrgentSeas, co-founded by Phil Demers, a former walrus trainer at Marineland, posted drone footage of veterinarians and trainers attempting to administer medication and fluids to the ailing beluga.
“I don’t know how many days it has left,” Demers told the Guardian back then. “But, at this point, merely attempting to keep the whale alive isn’t good. Seeing this is heartbreaking. “It just kills you inside.”
Marineland, Canada, is the country’s sole captive whale aquarium. It made news last year when Kiska, the “world’s loneliest orca,” died of a bacterial infection after spending four decades in the park.
Marineland defends its policies.
Before her death, the 47-year-old whale was seen wandering in her tank, having not seen another orca in almost a decade.
The park, which has the world’s largest beluga population, has defended the quality of its care, saying that deaths were normal. Marineland’s professionals “care for the animals when they are sick and make every effort to save them,” according to an email from the park.
According to The Guardian, in August, Marineland was compelled to pay roughly C$85,000 (US$61,000) after being found guilty of three infractions of the province’s animal cruelty rules involving its captive American black bears.
The news of the latest beluga death has sparked an outrage among provincial officials. Marit Stiles, the New Democrat leader, described the outcome as “disgraceful” and promised to shut down the park if elected premier.
Bonnie Crombie, the Liberal leader, cautioned that there was “no accountability” for Marineland and the protection of “beautiful mammals”.
For Demers, whose public confrontations with the park have resulted in several lawsuits from his former employer, the tragedy exemplifies the province’s long-standing reluctance to intervene aggressively in the park.
“We’ve been forewarning the public for over a decade that Marineland’s whales would be dying en masse unless someone intervened to fix the conditions,” he told reporters.
“Now it appears that the government itself is preserving Marineland. It’s tough to trust your institutions when they consistently fail.”
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