TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A coalition of Florida abortion rights supporters on Friday announced they have gathered enough signatures to put a state constitutional amendment protecting the right to an abortion on the ballot in 2024.
Election officials have verified 910,946 petitions submitted by Floridians Protecting Freedom, according to the Florida Division of Elections website.
The group said it needed 891,523 verified petitions to make it on the ballot. They said they expect to receive official notification from the Florida Division of Elections in the coming weeks.
"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.
Scripps News
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"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.
The Florida Supreme Court still must approve the language of the ballot measure which is being challenged by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
The proposed amendments reads, "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 asked the Court to kill the amendment, arguing the language is vague and confusing.
Moody argued that it uses language aimed at tricking voters. The brief specifically takes aim at terms like "health," "viability" and "healthcare provider" and says they are too ambiguous.
Willy Guardiola, the president of the Palm Beach County Right to Life League, said he was hopeful the amendment doesn't make it to voters.
"My job is to fight abortion 24/7, so I don't care what the wording is, they are trying to get the abortion ballot on the 2024 election and my job is to say no," he said. "We're putting everyone in her (Moody) hands and on the Supreme Court and five of them were picked by DeSantis, so I feel confident, I think they are going to say no to them."
Oral arguments are scheduled on Feb. 7 in front of the Florida Supreme Court.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, appointed five of the seven justices on the current court, giving it a conservative majority.
Should the measure make it on the ballot and be approved by at least 60% voters, the amendment would undo Florida's current 15-week ban on abortions. In 2023, lawmakers passed a 6-week ban, which will only go into effect if the 15-week ban is upheld by the Florida Supreme Court.
Residents React to Possible Amendment
WPTV reporter Cassandra Garcia went to downtown West Palm Beach on Friday night to talk to people about the possibility of an abortion amendment being on the ballot in Florida.
"I'm pleased. I think we need to think about this issue," Florida resident Mike Kunst said. "It's a very personal and deep issue and for a woman to have the right to make that decision is important for health reasons."
"It's a woman's life. She needs to make her decision," Florida resident Bob Anslow said. "What's good for her may not be good for somebody else."
"I think it's a big win! I think it's exciting, especially being a woman," Cassidy Kunst, a visitor to West Palm Beach, said. "I would always want the right to choose and like for safety reasons, personal reasons, whatever the case may be, have that control over your body."
"Abortion rights were settled years and years and years ago," tourist Norma Goldstein said. "To overturn 50 years of precedent is absolutely outrageous."
Some people that WPTV spoke with said they are pro-life but didn't want to go on camera to share their thoughts. However, they told WPTV that if the amendment makes it onto the ballot they hope voters will make the right decision.
