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Which states could have abortion on the ballot in 2024? Arkansas organizers hope to join the list. – The Boston Globe

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Which states could have abortion on the ballot in 2024? Arkansas organizers hope to join the list. – The Boston Globe


The fate of the measures could reshape or confirm the trendlines that have developed in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court removed the nationwide right to abortion.

Since the ruling, most Republican-controlled states have new abortion restrictions in effect, including 14 that ban it at every stage of pregnancy. Most Democratic-led states have laws or executive orders to protect access.

Voters in all seven states that have had abortion questions before voters since 2022 have sided with abortion rights supporters, including California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Vermont.

Here’s a look at the abortion measures that could be on ballots in November:

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What is on the 2024 ballots?

COLORADO

Colorado’s top election official confirmed in May that a measure to enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution, including requirements that Medicaid and private health insurers cover it, made the ballot for the fall election.

Supporters said they gathered more than 225,000 signatures, nearly double the requirement of over 124,000 signatures. Amending the state constitution requires the support of 55% of voters.

Those backing a dueling measure — a law to ban abortion — did not submit signatures and the measure will not go before voters.

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Abortion is legal at all stages of pregnancy in Colorado.

FLORIDA

The state Supreme Court ruled in April that a ballot measure to legalize abortion until fetal viability could go on the ballot despite a legal challenge from state Attorney General Ashley Moody, who argued there are differing views on the meaning of “viability” and that some key terms in the proposed measure are not properly defined.

Advocates collected nearly a million signatures to put a state constitutional amendment to legalize abortion until viability on the ballot, surpassing the nearly 892,000 required.

To take effect, the measure would need agreement from at least 60% of voters.

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Abortion is currently illegal in Florida after the first six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant, under a law that took effect May 1.

MARYLAND

Voters also will be asked this year to enshrine the right to abortion in Maryland’s constitution. The state already protects the right to abortion under state law and Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1. Abortion is allowed in Maryland until viability.

NEVADA

The Nevada Secretary of State ‘s office announced in June that a ballot question to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution has met all of the requirements to appear in front of voters in November.

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Under the amendment, abortion access for the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, or later to protect the health of the pregnant person, would be enshrined. Such access already is ensured under a 1990 law.

To change the constitution, voters would need to approve it in both 2024 and 2026.

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota voters will vote this fall on a measure to ban any restrictions on abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. It would allow the state, in the second trimester, to “regulate the pregnant woman’s abortion decision and its effectuation only in ways that are reasonably related to the physical health of the pregnant woman.”

An abortion ban would be allowed in the third trimester, as long as it included exceptions for the life and health of the woman.

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The state’s top election official announced May 16 that about 85% of the more than 55,000 signatures submitted in support of the ballot initiative are valid, exceeding the required 35,017 signatures.

Opponents have sued to try to take the initiative off the ballot.

Where else could abortion be on the ballot in 2024?

ARIZONA

Abortion rights supporters submitted more than 823,000 signatures on Wednesday to put an abortion access measure before voters in November. That’s more than twice as many as required.

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Election officials still need to verify the signatures.

Under the measure, the state would not be able to ban abortion until the fetus is viable, with later abortions allowed to protect a woman’s physical or mental health.

Abortion is currently legal for the first 15 weeks of pregnancy in the state. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled in April that enforcement could begin soon for a near-total ban already on the books. The governor has since signed a bill repealing that law. It is still expected to be in effect for a time, however.

ARKANSAS

Proponents of an amendment to allow abortion in many cases must gather nearly 91,000 signatures by Friday for the measure to get on the Nov. 5 ballot. They also must submit a minimum number of signatures from 50 of 75 counties.

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Supporters said on Wednesday they were about 5,800 short of the requirement with two days left to circulate petitions.

The measure would bar laws banning abortion in the first 20 weeks of gestation and allow abortion later in pregnancy in cases of rape, incest, threats to the woman’s health or life, or if the fetus would be unlikely to survive birth.

Because it allows abortion to be banned 20 weeks into pregnancy, the proposal does not have the support of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which includes Arkansas. The state currently bans abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with narrow exceptions.

Anti-abortion groups in the predominantly Republican state also have campaigned heavily against the measure, and one group published the names and hometowns of canvassers gathering signatures for the proposal.

MISSOURI

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Missouri abortion rights advocates turned in more than 380,000 signatures, more than twice the required 171,000, for a measure asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment to guarantee abortion until viability. Local election officials have until July 30 to verify the signatures, then it’s up to the secretary of state to declare whether there were enough.

A group of moderate Republicans have for this year abandoned efforts for an alternate amendment that would have allowed abortion up to 12 weeks, with limited exceptions after that time.

Abortion is currently banned in Missouri at all stages of pregnancy, with limited exceptions.

MONTANA

Abortion rights proponents in Montana have proposed a constitutional amendment that would bar the government from denying the right to abortion before viability or when it’s necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person.

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After a legal battle over the ballot language, the Montana Supreme Court in April wrote its version of the language that would appear on the ballot if enough valid signatures are certified. Sponsors were required to submit about 60,000 by June 21. They turned in about 117,000, nearly twice the amount needed.

Counties have until July 19 to verify the signatures and the secretary of state would have until Aug. 22 to determine whether the amendment goes on the ballot.

Abortion is legal until viability in Montana under a 1999 Montana Supreme Court opinion.

NEBRASKA

Competing abortion measures could come before voters in November after supporters of each said Wednesday they turned in far more signatures than the 123,000 required for ballot access.

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One would enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution until viability. Supporters said they submitted more than 207,000 signatures.

The other would write into the constitution the current law which bars abortions after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, with some exceptions. Its backers said they submitted more than 205,000 signatures.

Organizers for a third effort did not submit petitions. It would have defined embryos as people, thus barring abortion at all stages of pregnancy.

Where did ballot efforts fail to gain traction?

Some efforts that sought to restrict or ban abortion also have failed to reach ballots. In Wisconsin, the House approved a measure asking voters to ban abortion after 14 weeks, but the legislative session ended without a vote from the state Senate.

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Likewise, Iowa lawmakers ended their session without approving a measure asking voters to find there is no constitutional right to abortion. Pennsylvania lawmakers previously pursued a similar amendment, but it’s not expected to be added to the ballot this year.

A Louisiana measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution died in committee, one in Maine effectively died when it fell short of receiving the approval of two-thirds of the House and a Minnesota measure was not passed by lawmakers.





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Arkansas

How to watch Georgia softball at Arkansas series, streaming and more

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How to watch Georgia softball at Arkansas series, streaming and more


No. 15 Georgia softball (18-5) opens conference play on the road in Fayetteville, Ark., on Friday, March 6, against the No. 7 Razorbacks (19-1).

The Friday game has been moved up to 3 p.m. from 7 p.m. due to weather expected in the area.

The last time Georgia faced Arkansas was in the 2025 SEC Tournament. The Razorbacks defeated the Bulldogs, 5-1, on a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning in the second round.

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Georgia is coming into conference play with an 18-5 record, while Arkansas only has one loss to Virginia from Feb. 7. The Razorbacks are on a 17-game winning streak with 12 of those games ending in mercy-rulings.

Here’s what you need to know about the Georgia-Arkansas weekend series to open 2026 SEC play:

What channel is Georgia softball at Arkansas?

Georgia’s weekend series at Arkansas will be streamed through the SEC Network+. Fans looking to stream the games can go to the ESPN app. An ESPN select subscription totals $12.99 monthly or $129.00 annually, while an ESPN unlimited subscription totals $29.99 monthly or $299.99 annually.

There is no other way to tune into these games, as the university is not streaming the game audio on their radiocast.

Georgia softball start times at Arkansas

Georgia has a three-game weekend series at Arkansas, with later than normal first pitches due to being in Central Time:

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Date Time (ET)
Friday, March 6 3 p.m.
Saturday, March 7 6 p.m.
Sunday, March 8 2 p.m.

Georgia vs Arkansas softball history

  • Series record: Georgia leads, 41-26
  • Georgia’s last win: March 31, 2024; 8-2
  • Arkansas’ last win: May 7, 2025; 5-1

Georgia softball score updates at Arkansas

This section will be updated throughout the series.

Game 1

TEAM 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH 7TH FINAL
Arkansas
Georgia

Game 2

TEAM 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH 7TH FINAL
Arkansas
Georgia

Game 3

TEAM 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH 7TH FINAL
Arkansas
Georgia

Georgia softball 2026 schedule

Record: 18-5 overall

  • SEC competition*
  • Red & Black Showcase^
  • Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational#
  • Georgia Classic/
  • Bulldog Classic//
Date & Time Opponent Location Result
Feb. 6 @ 3:30 p.m. Missouri State^ Athens W, 10-1 (5 inn.)
Feb. 6 @ 6 p.m. Fordham^ Athens W, 7-1
Feb. 7 @ 1 p.m. Fordham^ Athens W, 5-1
Feb. 7 @ 3:30 p.m. Belmont^ Athens W, 12-0 (5 inn.)
Feb. 8 @ 1 p.m. Belmont^ Athens L, 1-2
Feb. 12 @ 11 a.m. Oklahoma State# Clearwater, Fla. L, 5-6
Feb. 12 @ 4 p.m. Nebraska# Clearwater, Fla. W, 6-5
Feb. 13 @ 9 a.m. NC State# Clearwater, Fla. W, 16-2 (5 inn.)
Feb. 13 @ 1 p.m. UCF# Clearwater, Fla. W, 13-5 (5 inn.)
Feb. 14 @ 1 p.m. Northwestern# Clearwater, Fla. W, 8-3
Feb. 14 @ 4 p.m. Duke# Clearwater, Fla. W, 9-1 (5 inn.)
Feb. 18 @ 4 p.m. Samford Athens W, 13-8
Feb. 20 @ 3:30 p.m. Seton Hall/ Athens W, 9-1 (5 inn.)
Feb. 20 @ 6 p.m. Utah State/ Athens W, 4-1
Feb. 21 @ 3:30 p.m. Virginia Tech/ Athens L, 3-9
Feb. 21 @ 6 p.m. Utah State/ Athens W, 11-2 (5 inn.)
Feb. 22 @ 1 p.m. Virginia Tech/ Athens L, 3-9
Feb. 25 @ 6 p.m. Clemson Athens L, 1-10 (6 inn.)
Feb. 27 @ 6 p.m. South Alabama// Athens W, 8-0 (5 inn.)
Feb. 28 @ 1 p.m. South Alabama// Athens W, 9-0 (5 inn.)
Feb. 28 @ 3:30 p.m. UNC-Wilmington// Athens W, 9-1 (5 inn.)
March 1 @ 1 p.m. UNC-Wilmington// Athens W, 9-1 (5 inn.)
March 4 @ 6 p.m. Georgia State Athens W, 9-1 (5 inn.)
March 6 @ 3 p.m. Arkansas* Fayetteville, Ark.
March 7 @ 6 p.m. Arkansas* Fayetteville, Ark.
March 8 @ 2 p.m. Arkansas* Fayetteville, Ark.
March 10 @ 6 p.m. West Georgia Athens
March 18 @ 6 p.m. Georgia Tech Athens
March 20 @ 6 p.m. Mississippi State* Athens
March 21 @ 2 p.m. Mississippi State* Athens
March 22 @ 2 p.m. Mississippi State* Athens
March 25 @ 6 p.m. Mercer Athens
March 27 @ TBD Kentucky* Lexington, Ky.
March 28 @ TBD Kentucky* Lexington, Ky.
March 29 @ TBD Kentucky* Lexington, Ky.
April 2 @ TBD Texas A&M* College Station, Texas
April 3 @ TBD Texas A&M* College Station, Texas
April 4 @ TBD Texas A&M* College Station, Texas
April 8 @ 6 p.m. USC-Upstate Athens
April 10 @ 6 p.m. Missouri* Athens
April 11 @ 2 p.m. Missouri* Athens
April 12 @ 2 p.m. Missouri* Athens
April 15 @ 6 p.m. Kennesaw State Kennesaw, Ga.
April 18 @ 4 p.m. Texas* Athens
April 19 @ Noon Texas* Athens
April 20 @ 7 p.m. Texas* Athens
April 22 @ 6 p.m. Georgia Southern Athens
April 24 @ TBD Oklahoma* Norman, Okla.
April 25 @ TBD Oklahoma* Norman, Okla.
April 26 @ TBD Oklahoma* Norman, Okla.
April 30 @ 6 p.m. Florida* Athens
May 1 @ 6 p.m. Florida* Athens
May 2 @ Noon Florida* Athens
May 5-9 SEC Tournament Lexington, Ky.
May 15-17 NCAA Regional Campus sites
May 21-24 NCAA Super Regional Campus sites
May 28-June 5 Women’s College World Series Oklahoma City, Okla.



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Report Assesses Access to Primary Care in Arkansas – ACHI

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Report Assesses Access to Primary Care in Arkansas – ACHI


Arkansas has made significant investments to strengthen its primary care physician workforce over the past decade. New medical schools have opened in the state, residency program slots have increased, and loan forgiveness programs have been established to incentivize residency graduates to remain in the state to practice. Despite these efforts, access to a usual source of care (i.e., a place where one goes for routine healthcare needs) remains a challenge for many Arkansans, according to a new report.

Published February 12 by the Milbank Memorial Fund, the report, “Investing in Primary Care: The Missing Strategy in America’s Fight Against Chronic Disease,” evaluates states’ primary care performance. Among its findings is that 18% of Arkansas adults report not having a usual source of care, which is comparable to the national estimate of 17%. That means that nearly 1 in 5 Arkansans do not have a consistent way of interacting with the state’s healthcare system.

Access to a Usual Source of Care

Nationwide, the report finds that among adults with chronic disease, having a usual source of care is associated with lower odds of hospitalization and lower total spending on health care. These findings are particularly relevant for Arkansas, where chronic disease prevalence remains high. The most recent America’s Health Rankings report from the United Health Foundation ranked Arkansas 44th among all 50 states and the District Columbia for its percentage (15%) of adults with three or more chronic conditions — such as arthritis, diabetes, or cancer — in 2023, with the top-ranked state having the lowest percentage.

The Arkansas Primary Care Payment Improvement Working Group, established under Act 483 of 2025, is currently examining primary care investment in the state. The group, which includes a representative from ACHI, is tasked with measuring current primary care spending, evaluating the adequacy of the primary care delivery system, and recommending spending targets for Medicaid and commercial insurers. These efforts align with national recommendations to track and increase primary care investment, an issue we highlighted in a previous post.

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Arkansas’s Primary Care Workforce

The country’s primary care workforce supply is another focus of the Milbank report. The report estimates that Arkansas had 58 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents in 2023, below the national average of 68 per 100,000 residents. The Milbank report also finds that 29% of Arkansas physicians were working in primary care in 2023, compared to 27% nationally.

The state’s higher-than-average share of physicians choosing primary care is encouraging, but long-term retention and geographic distribution remain challenges. ACHI developed the Arkansas Primary Care Physician Workforce Dashboard, an interactive tool that allows users to view data on primary care physicians practicing in Arkansas. The dashboard — which uses a broader definition of “primary care physician” than the Milbank report’s — shows that per capita rates of primary care physicians vary widely between urban and rural counties, and that two counties, Montgomery and Newton, had no active full-time primary care physician in 2022. The dashboard also shows that 26% of fill-time primary care physicians in the state were 60 or older in 2022, raising concerns about future supply as many approach retirement.

The Milbank report finds that in communities with higher levels of social deprivation — measured by the social deprivation index, a composite indicator of socioeconomic hardship — primary care physician availability in Arkansas is lower on average than in similarly deprived communities nationwide. Given the high burden of chronic disease among Arkansans, this is a concerning finding.

Recommendations

States that invest in primary care, as highlighted in the Milbank report, experience downstream improvements in population health and lower healthcare costs. Arkansas has established the infrastructure to evaluate and potentially increase those investments. ACHI will continue to track physician supply, distribution, and access to help inform primary care policy discussions.

Find more information about Arkansas’s healthcare workforce on our topic page.

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Arkansas to honor Nolan Richardson with statue outside arena

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Arkansas to honor Nolan Richardson with statue outside arena


Former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson, who led the Razorbacks to the 1994 national title, will be immortalized with a statue outside Bud Walton Arena, the school said Wednesday.

Richardson was on the court at halftime of No. 20 Arkansas’ 105-85 win over Texas in the team’s regular-season home finale Wednesday night when athletic director Hunter Yurachek surprised him and told him the school had commissioned a statue to commemorate his achievements.

Per the school’s announcement, work on the statue is set to begin soon.

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“Coach Richardson’s impact on the game of basketball and our state is immeasurable,” Yurachek said in a statement. “He represented Arkansas with a toughness and intense work ethic that endeared him to our fans while changing the lives of numerous athletes, coaches and staff under his direction. His ’40 minutes of Hell’ changed college basketball and led to the 1994 national championship that changed Arkansas and our university forever. Coach Richardson will stand tall outside the arena for the rest of time.”

Richardson coined the phrase “40 Minutes of Hell” in reference to the ferocious, full-court defense his Arkansas teams played during his tenure (1985-2002). Between Arkansas and his first Division I job at Tulsa, Richardson amassed 508 wins (389 with the Razorbacks), reached the Final Four three times and secured Arkansas’ only national title.

Richardson also was a member of the Texas Western (now UTEP) teams that preceded the school’s victory over Kentucky in 1966, when five Black players started an NCAA championship game for the first time and won. That game paved the way for Black players to compete at schools that had previously rejected them.

Richardson, one of six SEC coaches to win a national title since 1990, was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

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After Wednesday’s game, current Arkansas coach John Calipari joked that he’s contractually obligated to clean the statue once it’s finished.

“Which I will do in a pleasant way because I love it,” he said. “He’s been so good to me since I’ve been here.”

Richardson and Arkansas were not on good terms when they divorced in 2002. But the two sides have repaired the relationship over the years. The university renamed the floor at Bud Walton Arena “Nolan Richardson Court” in 2019. Richardson praised Calipari’s hiring in 2024 after he left Kentucky, and he has been around the program since Calipari’s arrival.

“He should have been had a statue, I think,” said Trevon Brazile, who finished with 28 points on his senior night Wednesday. “They won the national championship.”

Added Darius Acuff Jr., who finished with 28 points and 13 assists against the Longhorns: “It’s great to see that for sure. Coach Richardson is a big part of our team. He’s been to a couple of our practices, so it’s always good to see [him]. He’s a legend.”

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