Florida Abortion Rights Advocates, who have seen access to the Procedure erode in the State and Nationally in recent years, reached a Major Milestone that could shape Abortion Access throughout the South.
Groups seeking a Constitutional Amendment protecting Abortion on Friday, secured enough State-Certified Signatures by the Feb. 1st Deadline, to put a Referendum on the 2024 Ballot.
If successful, Voters in the Country’s Third most Populous State, could undo Florida’s Abortion Bans, keeping access Open to thousands of Patients throughout the South, who travel to Florida from neighboring States, and from as far away as Texas, to avoid more Restrictive Prohibitions.
It would also deliver a blow to Florida Republicans, who have tightened Controls over Abortion under Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), and made it Harder for Groups to successfully use Ballot Initiatives to Amend the State Constitution.
The GOP is so concerned about the Threat, that State Attorney General Ashley Moody (R), is mounting an Aggressive effort to Bblock the Measure in the State High Court.
“Make no mistake: we will put abortion on the ballot in 2024 and take back the rights that have been stolen,” said Florida Senate Leader Lauren Book (D-32nd District).
The Florida Initiative would Protect Abortion until about 24 weeks of Pregnancy. It would need 60% of Voter Approval to Pass, if it’s on this year’s Ballot. Florida currently Bans Abortions after 15 weeks of Pregnancy. It also Prohibits Abortions at Six weeks, though that Law hasn’t yet been Enacted.
Floridians Protecting Freedom, the Mmain Group seeking to place a Constitutional Amendment protecting Abortion on the 2024 Ballot, has collected 910,946 State-Certified Signatures, more than the 891,876 needed by February.
Florida is One of about 12 States, where Groups are trying to put Abortion Rights on the Ballot this year, including Arizona and Nevada. It also follows several Republican-leaning States like Kansas and Ohio, that have Approved similar Measures in the wake of the Supreme Court Dismantling Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Abortion continues to play an Enormous Role in Electoral Politics since Roe was Overturned.
Abortion Rights Advocates have notched surprising Wins in some Republican States, while Voters in GOP-leaning Kentucky in November, Re-Elected Gov. Andy Beshear (D), who characterized His State’s Abortion Ban without Exceptions, as too Eextreme. Democrats in Virginia last Fall, also flipped the State House in part, because Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), tried to push a 15-week Abortion Ban through the State Legislature.
Anna Hochkammer, Executive Director of the Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition, and a Campaign Organizer for the Ballot Initiative, credits Florida’s success getting Signatures, in part to Ohio’s Issue 1, the Initiative enshrining Abortion Rights in the State’s Constitution that Voters Approved in November.
“What Ohio did was, it took a lot of people who were doubtful and … didn’t really want to believe what the numbers were telling them and gave them permission to believe that this was possible,” Hochkammer said during a Phone Interview.
There are still big Roadblocks before Abortions Rights Activists can claim Victory. Moody, the politically-ambitious State Attorney General (R), is Challenging the Initiative at the Florida Supreme Court, arguing that the effort is Misleading and Deceptive.
In One Brief, She asserted that it Fails to explain Terms, such as Viability, Health, and Health Care Provider.
The High Court, which DeSantis has transformed into a Conservative leaning Institution, by appointing Five of the Seven Justices, will hear Arguments in the Case on Feb. 7th.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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