Millions of women in Florida are losing access to critical reproductive health care due to a new six-week abortion ban. The blame lies with Republicans working to overturn Roe v. Wade. However, a constitutional amendment has been added to November's ballot that could restore a woman's right to an abortion.
SARASOTA – Tragically, millions of women in Florida this week will lose access to critical reproductive health care, which could endanger their lives and threaten their families.
Under Florida's new six-week abortion ban that takes effect May 1, abortions are illegal after a "physician determines the gestational age of the fetus is more than six weeks,"a time when many pregnant people don't yet know they are pregnant."
It's important at this frightening and critical time for Florida that we remember how we got here and lay the blame squarely on those responsible: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, and the Republican members of the Florida Legislature," said Daniel Kuether, chair of the Sarasota County Democratic Party.
It began, said Kuether, when Donald Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices specifically to overturn Roe v. Wade, which ended a 51-year precedent ensuring a woman's right to an abortion.
Then, in 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a 15-week abortion ban. While that ban was being challenged through the Florida court system and eventually the Florida Supreme Court, DeSantis signed a six-week ban that the Republican Super Majority in the Florida Legislature had passed.
When the Florida Supreme Court ruled the 15-week ban was constitutional, the more restrictive six-week ban was triggered.
Fortunately, this past year, volunteers across the state collected more than 910,946 valid signatures to have a constitutional amendment added to November's ballot that would restore a woman's right to an abortion, topping the 891,523 signatures needed.
Consequently, Floridians will have an opportunity in November to vote on Constitutional Amendment 4 to bring Florida's abortion laws back closer to what they were during the Roe v. Wade era.
Amendment 4 reads in part: "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."
Said Kuether, "We cannot allow Republicans to force us back to a time when women didn't have bodily autonomy and the ability to control their own health care decisions."
The Sarasota County Democratic Party (SCDP) is the local committee of the Florida Democratic Party. The mission of the SCDP is to encourage the fullest participation by all voters who believe in true freedom and fairness in our society. We stand up for justice, equality, and opportunity for our citizens and support qualified candidates who will promote these goals.
Learn more at www.sarasotadems.org.Contact Information: daniel.kuether@sarasotadems.org 941-330-9400
