Florida's Supreme Court yesterday dismissed an objection to the state's 6-week abortion ban on privacy grounds, allowing the law to go into effect imminently. But it also approved a referendum this november on whether to add the right to an abortion to the state's constitution, which would overturn that law. A 60% majority is required for it to pass.
The state supreme court also ruled that the proposed ballot measure to amend the state constitution to allow abortion is in compliance with Florida statutes, finding that "there is no basis for concluding that the proposed amendment is facially invalid under the United States Constitution."
"Accordingly, we approve the proposed amendment for placement on the ballot," the court wrote in its per curiam opinion.
The pro-abortion rights ballot initiative was introduced by Floridians Protecting Freedoms, a statewide campaign that argues "that all Floridians deserve the freedom to make personal medical decisions, including about abortion, free of government intrusion," according to its website.
The measure, which will appear on ballots this fall as Amendment 4, would allow abortions before viability, but it would still require parents to be notified if a minor has an abortion.
The proposed amendment:
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.
If voting was pointless, they wouldn't put so much time and money into preventing you from doing so or convincing you not to bother.
