Amendment initiative seeks to legalize abortion across Florida: lawmakers, experts weigh in

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Lawmakers and policy experts weighed in on the attempt by Floridians Protecting Freedom to place an amendment on Florida’s 2024 ballot that would protect abortion rights in the state.

The proposal seeks to prevent any government limitation on abortions up to the point of viability, as determined by the healthcare provider.

Sen. Erin Grall, R-Fort Pierce, told Florida’s Voice that she would be a “vocal opponent” of the “extreme” amendment.

“The amendment would allow no protections for the unborn, and we have a duty to protect the unborn,” she said.

Grall was the main sponsor of Florida’s six-week abortion ban that was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May.

Currently, the state’s 15-week ban is being challenged in the Florida Supreme Court by the American Civil Liberties Union. If the court rules favorably for the legislation, the the six-week ban will be enacted as a trigger law.

Rep. Joel Rudman, R-Navarre, highlighted his concerns that many Floridians have been “duped” into signing the petitions, without fully understanding them.

“The radical activists pushing this extreme agenda have no qualms about deceiving the public, especially where infanticide is involved,” he said. “In my own county, I have seen people collecting signatures in front of the DMV office claiming that it’s for ‘healthcare.’”

“That’s like me calling a mortician a makeup artist,” he added.

Katie Daniel, the state policy director for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, explained to Florida’s Voice how the amendment would undo policies that are very popular statewide.

“Not just the gestational protections that protect unborn babies from painful late term abortion, it would also remove the accountability for the industry,” she said.

She said that the amendment would allow for abortion at any point in the pregnancy.

“It kind of pays lip service to the idea of by viability,” Daniel said. “But we also know that there are abortion doctors in our states who have said they don’t believe viability is real.”

She added that the abortion providers have a financial incentive to encourage an abortion to take place even if the baby is viable.

“They would be the one deciding, the person deciding whether this abortion can be done is the person who makes money if they do the abortion […] and who does not make money if the baby lives,” Daniel said.

Floridians Protecting Freedom have reported that as of Sept. 14, the state has validated nearly 300,000 signatures and the campaign has raised $8.8 million.

“Floridians want the freedom to make personal health care decisions without interference from politicians,” said Lauren Brenzel, the director of the campaign.

“The broad support we are seeing is a direct backlash to the near-total ban on abortion passed earlier this year by out-of-step politicians,” she added.

The campaign is made up of the American Civil Liberties Union, Florida Rising, Planned Parenthood Action, Women’s Voices of Southwest Florida, Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition and United Health Workers of East Florida.

Daniel said that when Roe v. Wade was still the law of the land across the nation, the court acknowledged that the child’s interest come into play at some point.

She added that if the proposed amendment passes, the baby gets no interest and that “it’s all about the abortion industry.”

Organizations such as Florida Voice for the Unborn are participating in “Decline to Sign” campaigns in order to oppose the initiative.

Executive Director Andrew Shirvell said that Florida Voice for the Unborn has been “leading the charge” in urging citizens to ‘Decline to Sign.’”

“Since mid-August, Florida Voice for the Unborn’s grassroots supporters have been circulating tens of thousands of our ‘Decline to Sign’ awareness cards in every corner of the state, which exposes the radical nature of the initiative,” he said.

On the measure, DeSantis recently voiced concerns that the proposed amendment could pick up steam due to comments from former President Donald Trump being critical of Florida’s abortion restrictions.

Citizens in Ohio will face a similar vote in November that guarantees rights to an abortion without legislative limitations in the state.