DeSantis, doctors criticize abortion-related ballot initiative

(The Center Square) — Gov. Ron DeSantis and a group of physicians urged Florida voters at an event in Coral Gables on Monday to reject a ballot initiative that would overturn the state's ban on abortions at six weeks.

Amendment 4, if approved by 60% of voters on Nov. 5, would add to the Florida Constitution's Declaration of Rights stating that "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 health care provider."

DeSantis said Monday, "You have no definitions in this amendment. You have no requirement that doctors be involved under this amendment. You have really extreme policies, such as the lack of legal limits. This is not that belongs in any state's constitution, much less the state of Florida."

Dr. Christina Peña, an obstetrician and gynecologist from Coral Gables, asked how the amendment would be optimal care for women.

"The concern that women's lives are at risk if this amendment doesn't pass is a lie," she said. "In the 20 years I've been practicing obstetrics and gynecology, I have never once been limited in providing proper medical care for my patients. Changing existing law with an amendment like this will open women to risk."

The ballot initiative is supported by Floridians Protecting Freedom, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union and is opposed by DeSantis, the state Republican Party, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, Florida Family Policy Council and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.

According to a state-required financial impact statement by the Florida Financial Impact Estimating Conference, the initiative "would result in significantly more abortions and fewer live births per year in Florida. The increase in abortions could be even greater if the amendment invalidates laws requiring parental consent before minors undergo abortions and those ensuring only licensed physicians perform abortions.

"There is also uncertainty about whether the amendment will require the state to subsidize abortions with public funds. Litigation to resolve those and other uncertainties will result in additional costs to the state government and state courts that will negatively impact the state budget."

The statement also said an increase in abortions could negatively affect the growth of state and local tax revenues, but the "total impact of the proposed amendment is indeterminate."

The amendment has already been the subject of litigation, including one that went to the state Supreme Court concerning the financial impact statement. The ACLU and other abortion rights groups won an injunction in a case regarding TV commercials encouraging voters to cast ballots for Amendment 4.

Floridians Protecting Freedom has raised nearly $94 million in support of Amendment 4, nearly 10 times the amount raised by opposing groups.