Petition movement afoot to reverse abortion restrictions

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

An effort is underway to claw back Florida’s controversial abortion laws by putting abortion on the ballot next year in a referendum

The ballot initiative would reverse the current 15-week abortion in place that was passed by the state legislature last year, as well as the six-week abortion ban approved by the state legislature and signed by Gov Ron DeSantis earlier this year

Florida Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D-35) has been at the forefront of advocating for the ballot drive, which is being led by the Floridians Protecting Freedom coalition The Davie-based legislator said more than 600,000 signed petitions have been collected so far that would seek to roll back all limits on abortion in Florida

Currently, a 15-week ban passed by the state legislature last year is in place until the State Supreme Court issues a ruling expected last month on whether the law violates the state constitution’s protections for abortion under the privacy clause

“As the Florida Senate Democratic Leader and one of the founders of the Reproductive Freedom Collective of Broward County, I am actively engaged in collecting sig- natures through various avenues, including events, rallies, door-to-door efforts with volunteers, fundraisers, and collaborative initiatives with synagogues, organizations, and concerned citizens statewide,” Book said

“I am doing this for my daughter and the millions of women and girls across the state of Florida who deserve access to safe, legal, and affordable healthcare – because the alternative is not acceptable With the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade, we have now lost the rights won by women two generations ago, and the clock has been turned back on women’s rights Our freedom is at stake, and we must fight ”

The ballot initiative would invalidate any law which prohibits, penalizes, delays, or restricts abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider

Book said organizers of the petition drive are targeting 1 25 million signatures by the end of 2023 The December 31 deadline accounts for validation and county elections processes.

For ballot inclusion in the 2024 General Election, 891,523 valid signatures are required by Feb 1, 2024, alongside Florida Supreme Court approval of the question’s wording

Book said the current abortion law has “Floridians seeking reproductive care elsewhere, facing unclear policies, and enduring dangerous or unwanted pregnancies against their will ”

Under the 15-week ban, Book said some women have had to endure pregnancies despite knowing the fetus wouldn’t survive

“Women like Anya Cook, my constituent in Broward County, have been denied life-saving medical care because of extreme bans and families like the Dorberts in Lakeland have been forced to carry doomed pregnancies to term, only to watch their baby Milo die after 99 excruciating minutes gasping for air after being born with no kidneys and underdeveloped lungs ”

Book said “this is about a person’s right to privacy and personal freedom more than it is about the medical procedure of abortion If the Florida Supreme Court upholds the 15-week ban, it would trigger the enforcement of the sixweek ban within 30 days of the court's decision ”

Book said “people overwhelmingly oppose abortion bans and want to reject extremism. This issue has transcended partisan lines; support for reproductive freedom now unites individuals across political divides ”