A pro-abortion group in Florida raised nearly $2 million in June as part of a campaign to get a proposed state constitutional amendment to define abortion as a “right” on the 2024 ballot. Some of the largest donations came from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Planned Parenthood organizations.
A report released from the Florida Department of State’s Division of Elections shows the group, Floridians Protecting Freedom, received $1.942 million in June alone, bringing the total number of donations to approximately $4.719 million since the group was formed in April.
The group claims to have already spent $4.59 million on petition-gathering efforts.
Floridians Protecting Freedom was formed in April after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state’s heartbeat bill into law. The law effectively protects preborn children from abortion after a heartbeat is detected, which usually occurs around six weeks gestation. The group is pushing for a constitutional amendment to overturn the law and enshrine a “right to abortion” in the state. The proposed Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion reads, “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.”
READ: Florida lawmakers pass pro-life protections for preborn humans after six weeks, governor signs
It should be noted that “viability” (most often understood as a child’s ability to potentially survive outside the womb) is an entirely subjective concept not based solely on gestational age, and is determined by the abortionist who stands to profit from each abortion committed. In addition, “patient’s health” is overly broad, and as Roe v. Wade‘s partner decision, Doe v. Bolton also utilized the exception of “health,” this phrasing could allow for abortion for nearly any reason.
In order to get the amendment on a November 2024 ballot, the group first needs to submit 891,523 valid petition signatures to the state by Feb. 1. Though supporters claim they have already gathered more than 300,000 petition signatures, data from the State Department of Elections shows the total number at 22,164. If the measure does reach the ballot next year, it would need support from 60 percent of voters to pass.
Rep. Anna Eskamani, who is working on the ballot initiative, admitted that securing the vote may be a difficult task.
“We’re not going to win if it’s just led by one party, we’re not going to win if it’s led by one group of people. It really has to be multi-generational, multiracial, and multi-class. It has to be a coalition of folks who are working people to some of the wealthiest people. That’s the only way we’re going to be successful,” she told WFSU. “It really has to be a collaborative effort across the spectrum—including Republicans. We need moderate Republicans to not only support us but to encourage their peers to vote yes on this ballot initiative as well.”
