Florida Supreme Court Decision Will Allow Extreme Abortion Initiative to Appear on the November Ballot

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The Florida Supreme Court issued two separate decisions today impacting the right to life for preborn children and their mothers in the state of Florida.

“We are pleased that Florida’s laws protecting preborn children were upheld,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “However, the court is allowing an extreme and detrimental ballot measure to move forward.”

In a 6-1 ruling, the Florida Supreme Court upheld Florida’s law protecting preborn children from most abortions after 15 weeks. The decision paves the way for additional protections for preborn babies beginning at 6 weeks.

In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled in favor of a broad ballot measure for a constitutional amendment that would allow abortions up to the moment of birth. The ballot initiative, if passed in November, would provide no protections for preborn children, its vague language would allow abortion for any reason and would allow abortions to be performed by any “healthcare provider” or non-physician.

Tobias continued, “Florida has made tremendous advances in protecting innocent human life and providing support for mothers. This ballot initiative would destroy Floridians’ hard work in creating a culture that supports and protects life.”

Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of affiliates in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, National Right to Life works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.