FLORIDA – Governor Ron DeSantis is pushing back against allegations that the state government is illegally using its platform to influence voters on Amendment 4, which would expand voting access in Florida.
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Right now, Florida restricts access to abortions at six weeks, with exceptions up to 15 weeks for rape, incest, and human trafficking. There are also exceptions to save the life of the mother or prevent serious permanent physical harm. A proposed constitutional amendment, known as Amendment 4, going before voters this fall could change that.
Amendment 4 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.”
Amendment 4 needs a supermajority of 60% voter approval to pass, and polls have suggested the vote may be tight.
The Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration has made it clear where it stands, publishing a website with the header “Florida is Protecting Life.”
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The AHCA secretary posted on X Thursday that the website is meant to “combat the lies and disinformation surrounding Florida’s abortion laws. News4JAX asked AHCA when the website it launched and how much it cost taxpayers. The agency did not answer News4JAX’s questions, but they did release a statement, saying, “Part of the Agency’s mission is to provide information and transparency to Floridians on the quality of care they receive. Our new transparency page serves to educate Floridians on the state’s current abortion laws and provide information on a proposed policy change that would impact care across the state.”
Democrats contend the site has violated a law that prohibits government officials from using their authority for political purposes, but Gov. DeSantis denies this.
“It’s not an anti-Amendment 4,” Gov. DeSantis said. “It’s providing information about what Florida law is and the resources that that are available under that law.”
He said he didn’t know whose idea the site was.
News4JAX reached out to healthcare attorney Ann Bittinger for legal analysis.
The site says, under Amendment 4, “The Florida Legislature will lose the ability to protect basic, common-sense health care regulations due to these open-ended and arbitrary terms.” But Bittinger contends, “That is absolutely false. The amendment will limit the ability of Florida criminal prosecutors, legislators and appointed government bureaucrats to interfere with Florida physicians’ medical decision making.”
The website also says, Amendment 4 would “eliminate parental consent” for abortions for minors. Bittinger says, “Based on my study of this topic for decades, as a mother of three children myself, my prediction is that amendment will not impact parent’s right to consent to treatment of their children in any way, shape or form.”
Gov. DeSantis insists what the state has put out is only the truth.
“I think that that telling the truth matters. I think our agencies...need to be rooted in that. And I think that’s exactly what it is there. There’s not a single thing that they’re pointing out that is inaccurate. You can go right to the statutes and you can look for that, and that’s just the reality of it,” he said.
When News4JAX pointed out Bittinger’s analysis, Gov. DeSantis responded, “The interesting thing about this is Amendment 4 is vague…they didn’t define any of the terms…what it does is, it takes power away from the people to be able to decide this through elections and who they elect to office and who legislates, and it effectively puts it in the courts.”