Oregon Groups Pull Back on Constitution Rights Plan

A coalition aiming to add abortion, transgender health care, and same-sex marriage rights to Oregon’s constitution has decided not to pursue the proposal for the November ballot.

The Coalition and Their Goals

The group, comprising Basic Rights Oregon, the ACLU of Oregon, and Planned Parenthood Advocates, began working on the initiative after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. Their goal was to lock in protections for:

• People who can become pregnant
• Individuals with gender identities differing from their sex at birth
• Couples of the same sex

Signature Shortfall

To qualify for the ballot, the petition needed 156,231 valid signatures. However, by the end of January, the coalition had only collected 12,400 signed papers, far below the required amount.

Earlier, the organization had claimed 52,000 signatures, but this number was also insufficient.

Reaction and Future Plans

The coalition acknowledged that their decision might disappoint those who rely on these rights, especially in the trans and LGBTQ+ communities.

They emphasized that while a ballot measure is not the right path at this time, they will continue to defend Oregon residents’ rights through other methods.

Potential Impact

If the measure had passed, Oregon would have joined a small group of states that specifically protect transgender health care access in their constitutions.