PHOENIX (AP) — An informational pamphlet for Arizona voters who will decide in the fall whether to guarantee a constitutional right to an abortion can refer to a fetus as an “unborn human being,” the state’s highest court ruled Wednesday.

Arizona voters will get to decide in November whether to add the right to an abortion to the state constitution.

READ MORE: Arizona and Missouri are the latest states to add abortion amendments to the ballot. What would the measures do?

The proposed amendment would allow abortions until a fetus could survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, with exceptions to save the mother’s life or to protect her physical or mental health. It would restrict the state from adopting or enforcing any law that would prohibit access to the procedure.

The justices of the Arizona Supreme Court, in Wednesday’s decision, sided with Republican lawmakers over proponents of the ballot measure on abortion rights.

The ruling drew swift criticism from abortion rights advocates who had argued that the phrase “unborn human being” is neither impartial nor objective. They also said they were concerned that Arizonans would be subjected to biased and politically charged words.

“We are deeply disappointed in this ruling, but will not be deterred from doing everything in our power to communicate to voters the truth of the Arizona Abortion Access Act and why it’s critical to vote YES to restore and protect access to abortion care this fall,” the group, Arizona for Abortion Access, said in a statement.

The pamphlet gives voters information on candidates and ballot measures to help inform their choices. It was unclear, however, whether any specific language contained in the pamphlet would appear on the ballot.

The Arizona secretary of state’s office said Monday that it had certified 577,971 signatures — far above the required number that the coalition supporting the ballot measure had to submit in order to put the question before voters.

Democrats have made abortion rights a central message since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 — and it is a key part of their efforts in this year’s elections.

GUSTINE, Calif. (KFSN) — Officers in the North Valley are being recognized for taking action to save a man after a crash, across state lines.

In September of 2023, Gustine police officers Jose Gallardo, Luciano Zelvaggio and Emanuel Gonzalez were driving two new police vehicles back to the Valley from New Mexico.

While passing through Arizona, they were frantically flagged down by a woman.

The group pulled over to help and found a man stuck inside a crashed pickup truck.

Police say smoke was coming from the engine as the officers broke a window to get him out.

They continued tending to the injured man until he was taken to the hospital by local first responders.

Those three officers received Medals of Valor from the California Reserve Officers Association.

The awards were presented at a luncheon held in Burbank.

The Gustine Police Department shared photos of the officers as they were honored for their heroic efforts.

The state of Arizona has filed a lawsuit against a formerly licensed midwife in an effort to prevent her from continuing to provide care to pregnant women and newborns.

Sarah Kankiewicz agreed not to practice midwifery in the state for at least 15 years in a settlement agreement, dated June 13, with the Arizona Department of Health Services. She surrendered her license to avoid revocation after complaints about her care of clients, including a Safford mom and baby who died after complications during a home birth.

ABC15 creates searchable database to help moms choose quality Arizona midwives

In a civil complaint, filed on July 30, the Arizona Department of Health Services said regulators received information in July that Kankiewicz was continuing to act as a midwife. The complaint said she had announced on her Wild Birth Services social media account, “Ever wonder what happens in the state of Arizona when an unlicensed midwife continues to practice? Let’s find out together.”

ADHS regulators accused Kankiewicz of acting as a midwife without a proper license when she sent a compensation agreement to a client and submitted prenatal lab orders for a client after June 13.

The state is asking a Maricopa County judge to issue an injunction preventing Kankiewicz from “delivering a baby or providing health care related to pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum care of a mother or an infant.” In addition, the state is requesting she be barred from using any “words, letters, signs, or figures to indicate that the person is a licensed midwife.” A hearing is set for August 16.

Kankiewicz filed an answer to the lawsuit saying she “intend[s] to defend these allegations.” She did not respond to a phone call and text from ABC15 seeking comment.

ADHS initially licensed Kankiewicz in 2020 as a certified professional midwife.

The state moved to revoke Kankiewicz’s license after her client Jordan Terry died and Jordan’s son Mack was stillborn in December. Jordan had planned to have a VBAC, vaginal birth after cesarean delivery, at home. After hours of labor, the mom lost consciousness.

Jordan was taken to a Safford hospital but neither she nor her baby survived. Her cause of death was uterine rupture.

State regulators later found Kankiewicz should never have taken Jordan as a client because her prior C-section had complications. Regulators also found the midwife failed to properly monitor vital signs and dilation and waited too long to call EMS.

The home birth tragedy raised questions about oversight of Arizona midwives and enforcement actions.

Jordan’s family told ABC15 they didn’t know state regulators had found deficiencies in the care Kankiewicz provided during two previous births, and the midwife had been fined five times for failing to turn in reports on time.

Got a news tip? You can reach Melissa by email at melissa.blasius@abc15.com or call 602-803-2506. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @MelissaBlasius or Facebook.