Nevada voters will decide on Question 6 in November, a constitutional amendment asserting 'all individuals shall have a fundamental right to abortion.' If approved again after passing in 2024, it would become state law. Abortion remains legal in Nevada regardless of the outcome, as it has been since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade four years ago.
The amendment would protect abortions 'until fetal viability, or when needed to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient,' with health interpreted to include mental health, allowing abortionists to justify procedures based on mental health claims. It would also change who can perform abortions from 'a physician licensed to practice in this state' to a 'qualified health care practitioner,' potentially allowing less-qualified individuals to provide abortion services.
Question 6 would explicitly prevent regulations limiting access to abortion, meaning Nevada could not enforce parental-notification laws. Critics warn this could lead to scenarios like school nurses distributing abortion pills. Supporters of similar past measures, such as the Nevada Equal Rights Amendment, have been accused of downplaying broader implications, as seen when the ACLU of Nevada later argued the ERA required boys to participate in girls' sports.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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