The proposal to hold a referendum to decide the fate of abortion can now move forward after an Elections Board commission declared the measure in legal compliance.

Board members of the Commission of Citizen’s Participation and Civic Education made the declaration Wednesday.

According to the agency this is the first stage of the referendum’s proposal. Next the issue must be discussed in the upcoming future by the Elections Board.

Then, the Board must decide within the next couple weeks whether the referendum’s proposal is legally transcendental.

Also, the Assembly will be allowed to provide a written statement as lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment that allows up to 12-week pregnant women to get abortions.

Referendum proponents, including conservative groups, made the request along 34,204 voter signatures. Of those signatures, over 25,000 were verified as from registered voters. The proposal achieved 0.88 percent of registered voters in Baja California — well above the 0.5 percent minimum threshold.