Ruling on abortion amendment expected on Monday

Reporter: Tiffany Rizzo Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:

The deadline for the Florida Supreme Court to decide on more access to an abortion in the state is rapidly approaching.

Amendment 4, summarized by the Florida Division of Elections, states, “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 upcoming Supreme Court decision will potentially allow the procedure to be done after 15 weeks.

This decision will also decide whether this amendment will go onto the upcoming November ballot.

If passed, abortion access will be protected until viability or 24 weeks into the pregnancy.

The State of Florida also approved a 6-week abortion ban that is currently pending legal review.

A petition titled “Floridian’s Protecting Freedoms” received nearly 1 million signatures, which will meet the requirement of placing the amendment on ballots.

On April 1, Supreme Court Justices must sign off on the wording of the amendment and decide whether to allow the guaranteed abortion rights initiative on the ballot.

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