Florida’s Pro-Abortion Amendment
An extremely grave amendment has been placed on the November 2024 ballot that seeks to erase pro-life protections by inserting language into the Florida Constitution prohibiting the regulation of abortion. The amendment would allow late-term abortions, including when the baby is capable of feeling pain, and would eliminate laws requiring parental consent and safety protocols for women. The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops is working hard to oppose this dangerous and deceptive amendment and urges all Floridians to vote “NO” on Amendment 4.
Bishops Statement: Vote “No” on Amendment 4
“We urge all Floridians of goodwill to stand against the legalization of late-term abortion and oppose the abortion amendment. In doing so, we will not only protect the weakest, most innocent, and defenseless of human life among us but also countless women throughout the state from the harms of abortion,” said the bishops of Florida in their statement on Amendment 4. – April 9, 2024
Statement: Florida Bishops Oppose Extreme Abortion Amendment (English)
Language of the Proposed Amendment
Ballot Title: Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion
Ballot Summary: 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. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.
Full Text of the Proposed Amendment
Who Wrote Amendment 4 on the November Ballot in Florida?
Amendment 4 would nullify even modest regulations on the abortion industry that most people support – including laws regarding safe and sanitary practices, Florida laws requiring parental consent for minor children to have an abortion and laws against late-term abortions when babies can feel the pain of the procedure.
These extremists spent more than $15 million on out-of-state petition-gathering firms to gather signatures to place this deceptive abortion amendment on the November ballot.
The amendment is bankrolled by abortion interests whose views are so extreme that they once lobbied against a Florida Law requiring medical care in the rare instances when a baby is born alive during an abortion procedure.
Vote “NO” on Amendment 4
The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB) is working hard to oppose this dangerous and deceptive amendment and urges all Floridians to vote “NO” on Amendment 4. A grassroots team has come together to stop this extreme abortion amendment. Vote No on 4 Florida, organized by the collaborative effort of pro-life leaders in the state including the Florida Catholic bishops, has put in place the structure necessary to run a statewide campaign.
Why is the Catholic Church engaging in politics?
The Catholic Church has both a duty and a right to engage in public life. The church’s obligation to teach about moral values and shape our culture is central to its mission. By elevating the ethical dimensions of public policies and helping the faithful to form their consciences, the church seeks to promote the flourishing of all humanity. While the church remains nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates, engagement on issues or proposed policies, such as opposing Amendment 4, is a freedom protected by state and federal law that benefits the common good. Indeed, the church’s active participation in public life helps to enrich society and democracy.