Unborn children who can feel pain will remain protected and a law protecting babies with a heartbeat will go into effect on May 1 following yesterday’s ruling from the Florida Supreme Court.

But both of these lifesaving measures are now threatened by a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine all-trimester abortion that will be on Florida’s ballot this November under a second ruling that came from the court this afternoon.

SBA Pro-Life America State Policy Director Katie Daniel (who lives in Tampa, Florida) released a video summarizing the two rulings, and where we go from here:

"After 35 years, the Florida Supreme Court has finally held that there is no right to abortion in the Florida Constitution." — @KatieGlenn_ @GovRonDeSantis signed protections for babies who feel pain and have a heartbeat into law and now he must lead in defending those… pic.twitter.com/vvqVxsUXR4

— SBA Pro-Life America (@sbaprolife) April 1, 2024

If Floridians allow Proposition 4 to pass in November, here’s what it will mean:

1. Abortion throughout pregnancy — the amendment leaves post-viability abortion for “health” to the discretion of the abortionist. Without defining “health,” courts have found that it can be based on non-medical factors, including mental, spiritual, financial or familial health. “Viability” is based solely on the abortionist’s judgment and would not include any baby who needs “extraordinary medical measures,” which could be as simple as a short stay in the NICU.
2. The elimination of health and safety protections for women — Language on the fundamental right to abortion “without interference from the state” puts all of Florida’s medical safeguards at risk. This includes obtaining informed consent and performing a medical screening, seeing a physician in person or even seeing a medical professional at all.
3. The removal of parental consent – Parents will not have the right of consent if their minor daughter seeks an abortion. They may also have no recourse if their daughter is harmed during the abortion.

In our press release yesterday, Katie urged Floridians to oppose Proposition 4: “We must oppose Prop 4. Not only will this measure bring dangerous late-term abortions back to Florida, but it will allow girls who aren’t old enough to get their ears pierced on their own get an abortion without a parent’s okay. Those girls and the women who have abortions will be put at risk when this measure eliminates every abortion health regulation on the books. In a state where 25% of abortion centers failed inspections it’s no surprise they want to be completely unregulated to increase their profits at the expense of women, girls, and babies.”

The abortion measure is backed by the ACLU and Planned Parenthood with nearly one-third of the dollars raised for the abortion amendment coming from the abortion industry who will directly profit from expanded late-term abortions.