Florida - Monday April 1, 2024: The Florida Supreme Court Monday approved the language of the proposed amendment to the state constitution limiting government restrictions on abortion, clearing the way for it to be placed on the ballot as Amendment #4 in the November 2024 general election.
The approval granted by the state's high court ensures that the question will be decided by Florida voters.
The campaign to get the proposed amendment on the November ballot was led by a coalition of groups under the banner - 'Floridians Protecting Freedom.' Campaign Director Lauren Brenzel issued a statement late Monday afternoon saying, in part, that the wording of the amendment "clearly satisfies the requirements for placement on the ballot," and "we are thrilled Floridians will have the opportunity to reclaim their bodily autonomy and freedom from government interference by voting for Amendment 4 this November."
The summary of the proposed amendment states: "No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” ” It provides one exception, already in the state constitution, and that is that parents must be notified before their minor child can get an abortion.
The citizen-led ballot initiative requires approval from at least 60% of voters in order to accomplish its goal of amending the state constitution.
READ the summary and full text of the proposed amendment to the state constitution HERE
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody opposed the initiativearguing that the word "viability" in the amendment language is ambiguous. In February, Nathan Forrester, a lawyer representing her Office, presented that argument to the state's high court calling the amendment deceptive, and saying voters would not realize just how far it will expand access to abortion. If approved by voters Forrester said the amendment would eliminate the state's authority to regulate abortions.
FLORIDA GOP OPPOSES "RADICAL PRO-ABORTION AMENDMENT"
The Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida issued a statement saying:
“We are very disappointed that a deceptively worded pro-abortion amendment is allowed to appear on Florida’s ballot in November. If passed, it will allow abortions up to 6 months of pregnancy and, thanks to a loophole, even to point of birth. Florida will become the most pro-abortion state in the southern U.S. That is NOT what Florida wants, and the Republican Party of Florida will fight to inform voters on the dangers of this amendment.”