(FixThisNation.com) – “Pregnancy outcomes” and “gender identity” will be on New York’s election ballot this November.
On Tuesday, the New York State appellate court restored a proposed amendment to New York’s constitution that bars discrimination based on “pregnancy outcomes” and “gender identity” to the November ballot.
A panel of mid-level appellate judges overturned a decision New York Supreme Court Justice Daniel Doyle made to remove the proposed Equal Rights Amendment from the ballot.
Doyle ruled New York’s lawmakers made a procedural error by approving the proposed amendment.
However, the appellate judges overturned Doyle’s decision, citing a different legal issue: the statute of limitations.
The appellate judges noted that those who sued in an attempt to block the amendment from reaching the ballot had missed the deadline to file their challenge and would now be prevented from seeking relief in the court because of a four-month statute of limitation.
In a statement following the brief ruling, New York Attorney General Letitia James described the ruling as a “huge victory” to protect abortion access in the state and “protect many vulnerable communities from discrimination.”
The amendment that would be featured on the 2024 ballot wouldn’t preserve the right to an abortion but would prohibit discriminating against someone who had the procedure.
The amendment would also ban discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, sex, disability, age, ethnicity, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive health care and autonomy.
Democrats are hoping that putting an abortion-related issue on the ballot would spur voter turnout, as voters would need to approve the amendment to ensure it becomes law.
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