The 2024 Florida Amendment Series: Amendment 4 - Recommendation
Bottom Line: There will be six proposed constitutional amendments on Florida’s ballots in November’s general election. Four of those proposed amendments were referred to voter ballots by the Florida legislature and two were citizen led proposals which met all requirements for consideration by voters. The fourth of the six proposed amendments set to appear on our ballots this year would constitutionally permit abortions up to the point of fetal viability. Here’s how the proposal will appear on our ballots in November:
Title: Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion
Ballot Summary: 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.
A "yes" vote supports establishing a constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability.
A "no" vote opposes establishing a constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability.
In support of the proposed amendment, the PAC Floridians Protecting Freedom has stated: The overwhelming majority of Floridians think we should all have the freedom to make our own personal health care decisions without interference from politicians. Despite that, politicians in Florida just signed the most extreme abortion ban in the nation. It bans abortion before most people even realize they are pregnant. Help put these decisions back in the hands of Florida families and their doctors, not extreme politicians.
In opposition to the proposed amendment PAC Florida Family Action has stated: The sponsors of this extreme amendment want to legalize abortion up to the moment of birth and to repeal all limitations and regulations on abortion – even safety regulations that protect women – because they want to make Florida the home of late-term abortions in the Southeast.
I recommend a NO vote on Amendment 4. There are several reasons why a no vote is the right vote. Abortion is a matter that can be and that has been addressed legislatively in Florida. If Floridians want to see changes in Florida’s abortion law, they should advocate accordingly with their elected state representatives. The implications of this policy, if passed, would allow for what most Floridians deem to be unacceptable - late term abortions. 76% of Floridians surveyed aren’t supportive of late term abortions (third trimester), however the verbiage of this proposed amendment would open the door for it. As cited in the summary, the proposed amendment would allow for abortions up to the point of “viability as determined by a health care provider”. The health care provider making the decision would commonly be an abortion clinic. With the subjective language of the amendment, and the arbiter of viability being determined by an abortion clinic, Florida would effectively have no quantifiable guard rails in place at any stage of pregnancy. This proposed amendment is structurally flawed and morally reprehensible.
The proposed amendment needs a minimum of 60% support to pass.