About the Amendment
Amendment 4 on Florida’s ballot in November 2024 is designed to provide women in this state with the freedom to make reproductive choices for themselves. A 60% majority of voters must vote yes to pass this amendment. As of May 1, 2024, abortion is outlawed after six weeks in Florida, with exemptions up to 15 weeks for victims of rape, incest and human trafficking (with proof from an outside source such as law enforcement or medical personnel).
The Ballot Summary 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. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.”
The Ballot Language reads: “Limiting government interference with abortion.— Except as provided in Article X, Section 22, 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. “
The League of Women Voters of Florida supports the passage of this amendment. We are partners with Floridians Protecting Freedom, a statewide campaign of allied organizations and concerned citizens working together to limit government interference with abortion. It seeks to remove politicians from these decisions by creating a constitutional amendment that explicitly blocks the implementation of laws that prohibit, delay, or restrict abortion access. We agree that the decision of whether or not to have an abortion belongs to Floridians, their families, and those they trust, and passing this amendment is an opportunity to further enshrine those protections in our state constitution.
Talking Points on This Issue
- The League of Women Voters was founded by women who fought tirelessly to gain women the right to vote and we continue to work tirelessly to defend freedom.
- We’re deeply committed to keeping power in the hands of the people where it belongs, not with politicians.
- The state Supreme Court decided in April 2024 that Floridians have no right to medical privacy. For 40 years, the Florida constitution protected our right to medical privacy. With this decision to uphold the abortion ban, Floridians no longer have a constitutional right to medical privacy.
- Amendment 4 is our best path forward to restore access to patients and put power back in the hands of the people rather than the government. It removes the government from our choices about our health and medical and personal needs.
- The majority of Floridians believe that we deserve the freedom to make personal medical decisions without interference from politicians.
For more information, go to https://floridiansprotectingfreedom.com/