The fourth of six proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution in the 2024 election addresses abortion rights in the state.
Like Amendment Three, Amendment Four was also placed on the ballot through petition signatures, gathering about 100,000 signatures over the required number. The proposed amendment is sponsored by the group Floridians Protecting Freedom, Inc.
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The petition-gathering process itself has been a source of controversy, as representatives of the state’s Office of Election Crimes and Security have been visiting voters who signed petitions, as part of an investigation into alleged petition fraud.
A portion of the wording of the ballot question also drew attention. In July, abortion rights groups pushed back against a proposed financial impact statement, with advocates saying it was misleading and vague. The Florida Supreme Court later approved the wording in August.
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 proposed amendment would result in significantly more abortions and fewer live births per year in Florida. The increase in abortions could be even greater if the amendment invalidates laws requiring parental consent before minors undergo abortions and those ensuring only licensed physicians perform abortions. There is also uncertainty about whether the amendment will require the state to subsidize abortions with public funds. Litigation to resolve those and other uncertainties will result in additional costs to the state government and state courts that will negatively impact the state budget. An increase in abortions may negatively affect the growth of state and local revenues over time. Because the fiscal impact of increased abortions on state and local revenues and costs cannot be estimated with precision, the total impact of the proposed amendment is indeterminate. THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THIS AMENDMENT CANNOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO AMBIGUITIES AND UNCERTAINTIES SURROUNDING THE AMENDMENT’S IMPACT.
All voters will be asked to say “yes” or “no.” It takes 60% of the vote for any amendment to be added to the constitution.