A high-stakes abortion amendment in Florida has failed following a long-fraught battled against the progressive legislation by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Abortion on the ballot has been seen as a sticking point for Republicans since the overturning of Roe V Wade, but a major amendment in Florida failed after voters voted « No » on the progressive legislation.
The measure needed a 60 percent supermajority to pass, the highest threshold in the country. It failed after 43% voted « No » and 57% voted « Yes. »
Florida’s abortion ban has been a contentious topic in the once-swing-state, with proponents of the amendment arguing that the Sunshine State’s current 6-week abortion ban is too restrictive after it was implemented in May.
The amendment’s language states, « 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. »
DeSantis used his platform as governor to lead the charge against the high-stakes amendment on the ballot, calling the measure a « bait and switch. »
« This amendment, if adopted, would be the first amendment in the history of the state of Florida to actually repeal a right », the Republican governor said during a « Doctors Against Amendment 4 » stop in October.
