MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The battle over abortion rights in Florida is heating up after recent Supreme Court decisions drastically curtailed access to abortion.
Activists and politicians are rallying behind Amendment 4, a measure that would enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution.
Prior to May 1, abortions were legal in Florida up to 15 weeks. However, the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, followed by the Florida Supreme Court’s ruling, further limited abortion access in the state to six weeks.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Jacksonville in May has further galvanized efforts, as supporters work tirelessly to place the amendment on the November ballot and secure reproductive freedoms for millions of Floridians.
“Four million women in this state woke up with fewer reproductive freedoms than they had last night,” said Harris. “This is the new reality under a Trump abortion ban.”
State Representative Ashley Gantt (D-District 109) shared her strong support for the amendment, stating, “I think everybody should be voting yes on Amendment 4.”
Gantt believes Harris’s presence will galvanize more supporters to vote.
“Florida is not a red state… Florida is an apathetic, non-voting state,” she said. “I think this is going to be really invigorating for the already amazing work that’s being done on the ground for Amendment 4 — we already saw that they got enough signatures.”
Nearly one million signatures have been gathered for the petition. To pass, the measure will require 60% of voters to approve it.
“These non-voters are being activated with these issues. Amendment 4 affects everyone across the board. I don’t care if you have ‘D’, ‘R’, or ‘I’ next to your name — it affects everyone,” Gantt added.
As the state gears up for the November vote, Harris continues to advocate for reproductive rights, recently speaking in Milwaukee and pledging to sign them into law if Congress restores and solidifies these rights.