According to reports, Florida has the signatures it needs. (CNN) That is great news! However, the fight is not over. The language has to be approved by the Florida court, which has a conservative bent, and then, when / if that happens, it has to be voted in. The threshold is 60%. So, if you are a voter in Florida or if you know voters in Florida, make sure they are aware. From the CNN article:
Oral arguments are scheduled on February 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.
Original diary intro: Many agree that getting abortion rights on the ballot is good for protecting our bodies and our rights. Most also agree that it’s a great issue for Democrats.
This diary isn’t especially original, but as we say (often) in the GNR, repetition is good! Besides, this will be updated as new information comes in. And we’ll try to get out explicit information about where to sign.
As we’re waiting for election season to get going, this is what you can do. If you live in the state being featured, make sure you sign. If you don’t, but know people in the state being featured, try to get them to sign.
This diary is dedicated to Florida, which has a deadline of February 1, 2024 to get it on the ballot. However, they ask that you sign ASAP so that they can get signatures verified.
The citizen-driven initiative to pass the Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion is led by Floridians Protecting Freedom. Note you don’t need to go somewhere in order to sign. On the website (which is also available in Spanish), you can:
Step 1: Sign the Petition
If you are registered to vote in Florida, you can fill out, print, and mail in your own petition form! You can also get friends and family to sign petitions too.
Step 2: Return Your Signed Petition
Return your signed petition by one of the two methods listed below.
Mail completed petitions to:
Petition Collection
Post Office Box 4068
Sarasota, FL 34230
Find a petition hub near you:
They also have a section for Frequently Asked Questions, along with the answers:
Can I collect petitions from other people?
Yes! Individuals can collect petitions on their own and send them in together. Sign up as a volunteer and you will get access to resources to help you more effectively collect petitions.
Will there be a record of my signature?
Yes. This is a public record, just like whether or not you are a registered voter.
I’ve filled this out before, can I still sign?
You can only sign a petition once. Please look at the language on this petition to ensure you didn’t sign a different petition.
What is the full text of the amendment?
Article and Section Being Created or Amended: Creates – Article 1, New Section
Full Text of the Proposed Amendment: New Section, Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion
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.
When is the deadline to collect petitons?
All petitions must be processed by February 1st, 2024. To ensure there is time for processing and counting, all petitions should be signed and sent to the campaign by the end of December 2023.
Even if you’re not a registered voter in Florida and don’t know any registered voters in Florida, you can still help them by giving money.
Here’s some other information about the current state of the abortion petition fight:
12 states where the fate of abortion rights could be on the ballot in 2024 Amy B Wang, Leigh Ann Caldwell, Washington Post, published Dec 20, 2023 (I tried to make this a gift article).
What they say about Florida
Current law: Florida has a 15-week abortion ban, but a six-week ban signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) could go into effect if the Florida Supreme Court ultimately approves the 15-week one.
The initiative: The citizen-driven initiative to pass the Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion is led by Floridians Protecting Freedom. It would codify in the constitution a right to abortion until “viability.”
State of play: The group is in the process of collecting the required 891,523 signatures with a Feb. 1 deadline. More than 753,300 signatures have been approved as of Dec. 15, the group says. If the state certifies the effort, then the state Supreme Court will determine if the measure is valid to be placed on the ballot. The state Supreme Court has been hostile to abortion rights, and some advocates worry it will reject the effort.
The politics: Florida is a crucial state for the abortion rights movement as DeSantis, a GOP presidential hopeful, presided over the passage of one of the most restrictive bans in the country. Trump now calls Florida home and won the state by more than three percentage points in 2020. There is also a Senate race in Florida that is seen as a key pickup opportunity for Democrats. Advocates who are pushing the initiative are adamant that it isn’t tied to partisan politics, and they note that at least 150,000 Republicans have signed onto the measure as of last week.
Do you have more to add? Please do so in the comments and I will update the diary.
Thanks! Let’s make a difference in 2024!
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