Florida’s Supreme Court made two significant decisions this week that have the potential to impact the state’s abortion policy. The first decision, allowing a six-week abortion ban to take effect on May 1st, will have immediate and far-reaching consequences for women in the South. The second decision, approving a ballot initiative to amend Florida’s constitution to protect abortion rights, could be even more impactful. A referendum in November will give Floridians the opportunity to have a say in the state’s abortion policy.
The court’s decision to uphold the six-week ban, which was passed by the state legislature and signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, makes Florida one of the most restrictive states in the country when it comes to abortion. The approval of the ballot initiative is the result of a grassroots campaign that collected over 1 million signatures, indicating strong support for protecting abortion rights in the state. These decisions have given Democrats hope that they may have a chance of winning Florida in the upcoming presidential election.
The impact of the six-week ban is significant, as Florida accounted for a large number of abortions in the country in 2023. Additionally, the state has become a destination for women from neighboring states with stricter abortion laws, meaning that the ban will have implications beyond Florida’s borders. Following the Dobbs ruling that overturned Roe v Wade, Florida saw a significant increase in abortions, and the ban will severely limit access to abortion in the South.
2024-04-03 15:07:04
Original from www.economist.com