Anti-abortion measure could be on 2014 Oregon ballot
Published: Sep. 19, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Abortion opponents demonstrate outside a Mississippi abortion clinic in Jackson.
Janie Har | jhar@oregonian.com
One of the many initiative petitions hoping to make it on to the November 2014 ballot would prohibit using state taxpayer money to pay for abortions.
Initiative Petition 6 would allow the Oregon Health Plan to pay for abortions that are medically necessary or otherwise allowed under federal law, such as in cases of rape or incest.
Jeff Jimerson, a co-chief petitioner, said in an interview this week that volunteers have collected about 15,000 signatures and hope to reach 50,000 by the end of 2013. They need 116,284 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot, and hope to submit 150,000 signatures.
A similar effort to put the issue on the 2012 ballot failed with 70,000 signatures collected. "We just came up short," he said.
The federal government prohibits the use of federal taxpayer money for abortions. Oregon has no restrictions and paid for more than 4,000 through the Oregon Health Plan in 2011-12, at a cost of $1.75 million, according to Oregon 2014, the group pushing the measure.
-- Janie Har