'Human Life Protection' amendment proposed in Florida
TALLAHASSEE - Amid debates across the country about abortion rights, a political committee has proposed a ballot initiative in Florida that would recognize a "God-given right to life of the preborn individual."
The Protect Human Life Florida Committee received an initial approval Aug. 12 from the Florida Department of State to move forward with the proposed constitutional amendment.
The committee would need to submit 891,589 petition signatures to get on the 2024 ballot.
It then would need approval from at least 60 percent of voters.
The proposal seeks to establish a constitutional right that would say, "The right to life of the preborn individual is God-given, thus unalienable and recognized accordingly. Therefore, it shall not be infringed at any stage of development."
The proposal would include an exception for "the undertaking of life-saving procedures to save the life of the mother when accompanied by reasonable steps to save the life of the preborn individual."
It also would include exceptions for "a spontaneous miscarriage, or spontaneous fetal demise."
The proposal, titled the "Human Life Protection Amendment," comes after the U.S. Supreme Court in June overturned the decades-old Roe v. Wade abortion-rights decision.
It also comes amid a legal battle about a new Florida law that would prevent abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.