The Florida Supreme Court upheld a six-week abortion ban there, but also put the issue of abortion on the ballot in November.
The six-week ban is set to take effect next month after the court ruled it could, but the ballot referendum may change the landscape entirely if 60% of voters approve it.
It reads,
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. This amendment does not change the Legislature's constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.
"Today the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Amendment 4 meets the requirements for this year's ballot," the Floridians Protecting Freedom campaign, which spearheaded the fight for the measure, said on X. "Floridians WILL get a chance to vote to reject government interference with abortion."
The campaign was organized by the ACLU of Florida, Florida Rising, Women's Voices of Southwest Florida, Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, SEIU 1199 Florida, and Planned Parenthood organizations in the state. The same coalition of groups is also planning a rally to get rid of the six week ban on April 13.
"Floridians will have the opportunity to reclaim their bodily autonomy and freedom from government interference!" Florida Planned Parenthood Action also said about the ruling.
Ballot measures have become an increasingly popular way to codify state abortion rights since Roe V. Wade was overturned in 2022.
The Center for Reproductive Rights pointed out that "EVERY SINGLE TIME that states have put abortion directly on the ballot, voters have chosen to protect it, and now, Florida voters will have the chance to do the same."
The overturning of Roe V. Wade created something of a backlash in voter support for abortion rights as many states moved to ban it at six, 12 or 15 weeks with few exceptions.
The issue of abortion was given credit for Democrats' better-than-expected showing in the 2022 midterms, held not long after the decision was made official.
For a long time, Florida was the only southern state not to have as many restrictions on abortions as possible, but with it's turn to the right, that's not happening anymore.
The ballot issue could change the game again.
The problem is, while abortion "rights" sounds so noble and--right, it doesn't protect the most vulnerable among us--unborn children.
All the platitudes about "reproductive freedom" in the world can't change the fact that the babies they abort will not have even the freedom to be born and live.
