The highest court in Florida has upheld the state’s abortion law. This decision sets the stage for a change to the law in the next few months, which will likely be a focal point in the November election. The court's ruling on Monday confirmed the state’s current 15-week ban on abortion, allowing it to remain in effect. The conservative majority stated that the right to privacy does not cover abortion.
Despite legal challenges, the 15-week restriction has been in place in Florida since it was enacted in 2022.
The ruling solidifies Florida's position as one of the 20 states where access to abortion is at least severely limited, according to Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood described access to abortion in Florida as “extremely difficult and time-consuming,” despite being legal in certain situations. Even with the 15-week ban, Florida has become a major location for abortion procedures in the South, as neighboring states have even stricter limitations. According to the Guttmacher Institute, nearly 5,000 more abortions were performed in Florida in the first six months of 2023 compared to the previous year.Only Virginia in the South allows abortion beyond the first trimester.
A six-week ban on abortion, which was approved last year but put on hold due to the state Supreme Court’s case, will take effect on May 1. This change is expected to bring Florida in line with other restrictive states in the Deep South, severely restricting access to abortion for the entire region.
Supporters of abortion rights were disheartened by the ruling allowing the ban.
Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani (D) told The Associated Press, “This decision shows how vulnerable our personal freedoms are in this state. It’s so extreme that Floridians will probably have to travel out of state, likely to Virginia, to receive care.”
The impending ban has increased pressure on advocates who are pushing for abortion protections in the state. These efforts have come together in support of a constitutional amendment ballot measure, which the state Supreme Court allowed to proceed in a separate ruling on Monday. This sets the stage for a crucial vote in the November election.
Conservatives have opposed a constitutional amendment vote, disputing its wording and its petitions. Similar efforts have been successful in conservative states like Kansas and Kentucky, where abortion restrictions have been rejected or protections have been added in recent elections.
By adding abortion protections to the Florida ballot, voter turnout could be boosted, as Democrats aim to shift the traditionally Republican-leaning Sunshine State. The Biden campaign, citing the abortion ballot measure, described Florida as a “winnable” state on Monday.
“Florida is definitely a challenging state to win, but it's a state that President Biden could win, especially considering the weaknesses within [former President] Trump’s campaign and his coalition,” said Julie Chávez Rodríguez, Biden’s campaign manager.
wrote in a memorandum
first made public by NBC News.
The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the state’s abortion law on Monday, which means there will be a change to the law in the next few months that will probably be important in the November election. The court upheld the state’s existing 15-week ban on abortion in the Monday ruling, allowing it to remain in effect. The conservative majority… wrote in a memo first reported by NBC News.
