California initiative would classify abortion as first-degree murder

By Eric Ting - Posted at SF Gate:

A statewide initiative to criminalize abortion as first-degree murder is one step closer to appearing on the ballot in November 2018.

According to the Sacramento Bee, supporters of the initiative have been cleared by California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to begin collecting signatures from registered voters to get the initiative to appear as a ballot measure. The initiative needs 585,407 signatures from registered voters to qualify for the ballot.

The measure also expands the definition of abortion to include "some forms of birth control," "medical research" and "in vitro fertilization."

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