Florida’s Supreme Court was expected to rule by Monday afternoon on a constitutional amendment that could put the question of abortion on the 2024 ballot, according to Newsweek.
Amendment 4 would allow abortion to remain legal in Florida until the fetus is considered viable. The deadline for the state’s high court to approve the measure’s language is April 1.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed a ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy last year, but it was paused from taking effect after abortion advocates collected enough petition signatures to pass a citizens’ initiative, which is one of the ways an amendment to the state’s constitution can be considered. The six-week ban allows exceptions in cases of rape or incest.
Abortion is currently legal in Florida up to 15 weeks of gestation.
According to Newsweek, the state’s high court needs to approve the wording of the ballot measure that residents could vote on in November.
“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,” the ballot summary reads. “This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.”
