Extreme Abortion Amendment Reaches Signature Threshold; Court to Hear Arguments Feb. 7

The political committee behind a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize abortion up until birth in Florida has surpassed the 891,523 petition signatures required for placement on the November 2024 ballot. For ballot placement to be confirmed, the amendment language must be reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court to ensure it is clear and limited to a single subject. The Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on February 7 concerning the validity of the amendment language. The arguments will occur on the same day pilgrims are gathered in Tallahassee for Catholic Days at the Capitol and the Red Mass. 

In her brief to the Court, Attorney General Ashley Moody urged the justices to reject the proposal, identifying several terms in the amendment language – including "viability," “health,” and “healthcare provider” – that are not clearly defined and could mislead voters. FCCB was one of four entities that filed additional briefs in opposition to the initiative. Others that filed a brief were Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, National Center for Life and Liberty, and Florida Voters Against Extremism.

FCCB argued in its brief that the proposed ballot title is misleading. The title states the amendment "limits" government interference with aboprtion when the text of the amendment itself actually prohibits all regulation before viability. The ballot language also fails to advise voters that the amendment would largely prohibit the state's oversight of abortion clinics and provide fair notice of its impact on existing legal protections for women and children, including the requirement to obtain parental consent before performing an abortion on a minor.