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Bloomberg – Politics
The political landscape surrounding one of Florida’s more controversial November ballot measures, Amendment 4, is heating up.
Less than two months before the Nov. 5 general election, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and Southern Legal Council filed a lawsuit against Florida claiming that the state is using taxpayer funds in the service of a political campaign against Amendment 4, which it says is an “improved transparency page.”
Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration launched a new website earlier this month that pushed messaging against Amendment 4, which seeks to prevent any law from restricted abortion before viability, or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, at the discretion of the health care provider.
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The lawsuit is just the latest feud in a series of controversies around the abortion amendment, including a signature petition fraud probe handled by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ election police force that lead police to showing to question people who signed the Amendment 4 petition.
Here’s the latest roundup of news surrounding Florida’s abortion amendment.
ACLU sues Florida, claiming it’s carrying out a ‘taxpayer-funded misinformation campaign’ against Amendment 4
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and Southern Legal Council filed a lawsuit against Florida last week, claiming that the state is carrying out a taxpayer-funded “misinformation” campaign against Amendment 4, according to the Associated Press.
In the lawsuit, the ACLU claims that website, television and radio ads were created by Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration to give Floridians “the truth” about the November ballot measure, which it states “threatens women’s safety.”
Amendment 4 lawsuit: Florida abortion amendment sponsor sues state, accuses officials of ‘misleading’ campaign
A banner on the website reads, “Florida is Protecting Life” and “Don’t let the fearmongers lie to you.”
“Florida’s government has crossed a dangerous line by using public resources to mislead voters and manipulate their choices in the upcoming election,” ACLU of Florida attorney Michelle Morton said in a statement. “This lawsuit aims to stop these unconstitutional efforts and restore integrity to our electoral process.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has defended the state’s messaging against Amendment 4, stating that “everything that is put out is factual,” during a news conference. “It is not electioneering,” he added.
Physicians Against Amendment 4 includes over 300 Florida doctors
An organization of over 300 Florida doctors from various specialties has formed to denounce Amendment 4.
The group, aptly named Physicians Against Amendment 4, met last week in Orlando to denounce the measure, calling it “downright dangerous for women.”
The group’s concerns around Amendment 4 include:
The amendment does not clearly define the term “viability.”The amendment’s language is vague and does not list specific scenarios for abortion while stating that the procedure can be performed “when necessary to protect the patient’s health.”The group says the use of “healthcare provider” means anyone licensed to practice health care in the state could perform an abortion under the amendment, but the group stressed only physicians should be authorized to perform the procedure.The group claims Amendment 4 removes the parental consent statute that exists in current state law.
Jason Weida, the Florida secretary at the Agency for Health Care Administration, accompanied the physicians representing Physicians Against Amendment 4 on Wednesday, touting that there was a lot of “misinformation out there,” though he did not provide any examples.
DeSantis’ election police questioned people who signed abortion petition
In early September, the Miami Herald began reporting that people who signed the abortion petition last year were being visited by law enforcement officers. The visits were part of a wider effort by DeSantis’ administration to inspect already verified and validated petitions for Amendment 4.
DeSantis’ secretary of state had already ordered elections supervisors in at least four counties to send Tallahassee at least 36,000 already verified forms since the beginning of September, according to the Herald. The request did not ask for rejected petitions, which are typically used in similar requests.
Department of State spokesperson Ryan Ash told the Miami Herald that the agency has “uncovered evidence of illegal conduct with fraudulent petitions,” but did not specify whether it had found any evidence related to the Amendment 4 petition.
Florida Democrats have criticized the move, calling it voter intimidation and interference.
Amendment 4 polls show strong support for abortion measure
Despite the state’s pushes against Amendment 4, public sentiment surrounding the measure has been in near constant support.
Emerson College Polling found that 55% favor Amendment 4, 26% oppose it and 20% are undecided. This is the latest poll, conducted between Sept. 3-5, and it has a 3.4% margin of error. The new poll represents a 13% increase in favor of the measure compared to when Emerson College Polling conducted a similar poll in April.
Public Policy Polling conducted a poll between Aug. 21-22 that found 61% of Florida voters favored Amendment 4 while 25% opposed it and 14% were undecided.
Public sentiment toward Amendment 4 was its highest in June and July, when polls from the University of North Florida and Fox News both saw 69% of polled voters in favor of the Amendment while 23% and 27% opposed it, respectively.
Florida’s Amendment 4 is one of the big ones this election. It has to do with abortion and the government’s ability to restrict women from having one before viability or when it’s necessary to protect their life.
If the amendment passes, it would prevent any law from prohibiting, penalizing, delaying or restricting abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, placing the decision in the hands of the health care provider.
Florida’s Amendment 4 text
Here is the full text of Amendment 4:
“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. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.”
What does voting yes on Amendment 4 mean?
Voting yes on Florida Amendment 4 would make abortion legal until fetal viability, which is generally considered to be around 23-24 weeks. It would also allow abortions when necessary to protect a patient’s health, as determined by a health care provider.
What does voting no on Amendment 4 mean?
Voting no on Florida Amendment 4 would leave abortions illegal in Florida after 6 weeks unless two physicians are willing to state that the pregnant person would die without one.
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Publish date : 2024-09-16 07:49:00
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