This year’s election will include 6 amendments on the ballot for Florida. One of which is citizen-initiated Amendment 4 regarding abortion rights. The amendment would determine that no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict an abortion before period of fetal viability or when it is vital to protect the patient’s health, which would be determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.
Florida’s current law makes abortion illegal after 6 weeks of pregnancy. There is a 15-week leniency for scenarios regrading rape, incest, or human trafficking, if there is legal documentation present.
Voting YES on Amendment 4 would legalize abortion within a 24-week time frame and change the current law in the state of Florida.
Voting NO on Amendment 4 would keep the current law on abortion at 6 weeks.
This amendment would not change the legislature’s constitutional authority to require a parent or guardian’s consent for a minor to have an abortion.
Amendment 4 is sponsored by Floridians Protecting Freedom, Inc. which has been endorsed by South Florida SunSentinel, Tampa Bay Times, and Miami Herald. FPF’s mission is to put in place that Floridians have the choice to decide what to do rather than politicians, or the government.
Many Floridians have actively watched the news in recent events regarding hurricane Helene and Milton. With the election year approaching, ads voting “YES”, and voting “NO”, have primarily surfaced on television. Both use far left and right-wing views in an attempt to grab viewer attention.
“The Florida Voter Guide, provided by the Florida Department of State’s office, is a great place to start,” DSC Political Science Professor Pearl Galano said. “This guide provides a general overview of voting requirements and the process in Florida.”
For specific county-based information, checking the local county elections office is another source.
Election Day is November 5, 2024.
For the full Constitutional information on Amendment 4, click one of the following resources:
Amendment progress, resources, and summary
Photo by Teia Williams