An informational pamphlet for Arizona voters, who will decide in the fall whether to guarantee a constitutional right to an abortion, can refer to an embryo or fetus as an "unborn human being," the state's highest court ruled Wednesday. The Arizona Supreme Court justices sided with Republican lawmakers, who drafted the language sent to all voters in the state, over proponents of the ballot measure on abortion rights, the AP reports. The ruling drew swift criticism from the ballot measure's backers, who argued the phrase "unborn human being" is neither impartial nor objective. They said they were concerned that Arizonans would be subjected to biased and politically charged words.
"We are deeply disappointed in this ruling, but will not be deterred from doing everything in our power to communicate to voters the truth of the Arizona Abortion Access Act and why it's critical to vote YES to restore and protect access to abortion care this fall," the group, Arizona for Abortion Access, said in a statement. Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, a Republican who co-chairs the legislative council, the panel that drafted the disputed language, said it's intended to help voters understand the current law. The secretary of state's office, which determines what gets printed on the ballot itself, said "unborn human being" would not appear there, just in a pamphlet that gives voters information on candidates and ballot measures to help inform their choices.
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