Anti-abortion activists may begin gathering signatures to place a referendum on the 2014 election ballot in California to overturn AB 154, a law permitting non-physicians to perform abortions in the first trimester of pregnancy. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the law last month, over the objections of pro-life groups and some physicians, and with the enthusiastic support of Planned Parenthood, which offers abortion services.
The City News Service reports that Secretary of State Debra Bowen granted permission to supporters of the ballot initiative to begin gathering signatures: “Valid signatures from 504,760 registered voters–5 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the 2010 general election–must be submitted by Jan. 7 to qualify each referendum for the November 2014 ballot.” Abortion could, once again, be a prominent election issue.