Abortion rights groups reach petition threshold to put abortion on Florida ballot in 2024

CNN
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A coalition of Florida abortion rights supporters announced Friday that they have collected enough signatures to put a state constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights on the ballot in 2024. According to the Florida Division, election officials have verified 910,946 petitions submitted by Floridians Defending Freedom. Elections Website.

The committee said it needs 891,523 verified petitions to get on the ballot. They said they expect to receive an official announcement of the Florida division's elections in the coming weeks.

“We launched our campaign eight months ago, and the fact that we've already reached our petition goal speaks to the unprecedented support and momentum we need to get politicians out of our personal lives and health care decisions,” said campaign director Lauren Brenzel.

“Most initiative campaigns never get to do this. They usually spend more or take longer to qualify, so we're very confident that voters will approve our amendment once they get a chance to vote,” Brenzel added.

The Florida Supreme Court has yet to approve the ballot measure's language, which has been challenged by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.

The proposed amendments state, “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before it is feasible or necessary to protect the patient's health, as determined by the patient's health care provider.'

In a legal brief filed in October, Moody asked the court to kill the amendment. argued The language is vague and confusing.

Moody argued that it uses language intended to deceive voters. The brief specifically targets terms such as “health,” “performance” and “health care provider” and says they are too vague.

Oral arguments are scheduled for February 7 at the Florida Supreme Court.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, appointed five of the seven justices on the current court, giving it a conservative majority.

If the measure is on the ballot and is approved by at least 60% of voters, the amendment would repeal Florida's current 15-week abortion ban. In 2023, lawmakers passed a 6-week ban that would take effect only if the 15-week ban is upheld by the Florida Supreme Court.