In a significant development, a coalition of abortion rights advocates in Florida announced on Friday that they have successfully gathered the requisite number of signatures to place a state constitutional amendment safeguarding abortion rights on the 2024 ballot. The Florida Division of Elections has confirmed the validation of 910,946 petitions submitted by the group, Floridians Protecting Freedom, as per their official website.
The group had set a target of 891,523 verified petitions to secure a place on the ballot. They are now awaiting official confirmation from the Florida Division of Elections, expected in the upcoming weeks.
If the measure makes it to the ballot, Florida will join a growing list of states where voters have directly influenced reproductive rights since the Supreme Court’s landmark decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The initiative could potentially increase voter turnout, mirroring trends seen in states like Ohio, and possibly providing a boost to Democrats as President Joe Biden seeks re-election.
“The fact that we only launched our campaign eight months ago and we’ve already reached our petition goal speaks to the unprecedented support and momentum there is to get politicians out of our private lives and health care decisions,” said campaign director Lauren Brenzel. “Most initiative campaigns never make it this far. The ones that do usually spend far more or take much longer to qualify, which is why we’re so confident that voters will approve our amendment once they’re given a chance to vote,” Brenzel added.
However, the Florida Supreme Court still needs to approve the language of the ballot measure, which is currently being contested by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. The proposed amendment states, “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.”
In a legal brief filed in October, Moody challenged the amendment, arguing that the language is ambiguous and could potentially mislead voters. The brief specifically criticizes terms like “health,” “viability” and “healthcare provider” for their lack of clarity. Oral arguments are scheduled for February 7 in front of the Florida Supreme Court.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has appointed five of the seven justices on the current court, giving it a conservative majority. If the measure makes it on the ballot and secures approval from at least 60% of voters, the amendment could overturn Florida’s current 15-week ban on abortions. In 2023, lawmakers passed a 6-week ban, which will only be implemented if the 15-week ban is upheld by the Florida Supreme Court.
This story will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.