Constitutional Amendment Proposed to Protect Florida Abortion Rights

TALLAHASEE — After the legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a law to prevent abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, abortion rights advocates want to bring the issue to the attention of voters.

A newly formed group, the Floridians Protecting Freedom, will hold a news conference in Tallahassee on Monday to begin its campaign to pass a constitutional amendment in favor of abortion rights, according to a news release on Friday.

“Floridians Protecting Freedom is launching a voting initiative campaign to give Florida voters a chance to ensure that personal medical decisions are made solely by them,” the news release said. I’m here. “Abortion decisions belong to Floridians, their families, and those they trust. This campaign is our opportunity to ensure that these protections remain in the Florida Constitution.”

The news release didn’t provide details of the proposal, but after lawmakers and DeSantis approved the six-week limit this year, a legal battle erupted over whether the Florida Constitution’s privacy clause protects abortion rights. because

In 1980, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment establishing the state’s right to privacy. A 1989 Florida Supreme Court decision set the first precedent for a privacy clause protecting abortion rights, and subsequent decisions have followed suit.

But in a case stemming from a 2022 law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, state Republican leaders told the Supreme Court to overrule the precedent, arguing that privacy clauses fail to protect abortion rights. are asked to certify A ruling like this would allow the state to effectively advance her new six-week limit.

Friday’s news release indicated that representatives of groups such as Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida will be joining Monday’s announcement. Floridians Protecting Freedom was incorporated as a nonprofit organization last month, according to state records.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the groundbreaking Roe v. Wade abortion rights decision last year, the ballot battle has also played out in other states. His June Supreme Court ruling left abortion decisions up to the states.

In states such as Kansas and Michigan, abortion rights advocates have touted their vote victories.

But supporters of the Florida initiative will face challenges, including the fact that the proposed constitutional amendment would require approval from 60% of voters. The proposal is also likely to face opposition from Florida’s powerful Republican leadership.

It will cost millions of dollars to collect enough signatures to pass the bill on the 2024 ballot. Supporters must submit 891,523 valid signatures by February 1 to obtain Supreme Court approval for the proposed ballot wording.