Florida physicians on both sides of the issue are becoming vocal about Amendment 4, a proposal to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution.
Members of Physicians Against Amendment 4, an organization of over 300 doctors of differing specialties, have been appearing this week at rallies against the measure led by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
On Tuesday, Floridians Protecting Freedom, the coalition campaigning for the amendment, released a letter from more than 850 abortion providers and doctors endorsing the proposal.
“We are a group of Florida physicians concerned about ongoing attacks on abortion access in Florida,” they wrote. “Florida lawmakers have ignored not only the will of their constituents, but medical evidence, to ban abortion and restrict Floridians' reproductive freedom.
“They have inserted themselves into our exam rooms, our hospitals, and our relationships with our patients,” they added.” They have put our patients' lives in danger.”
Amendment 4 would override the state law that bans abortion in most cases after the first six weeks of pregnancy. The ballot summary reads:
“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.”
With only days before the Nov. 5 election day, DeSantis continued his campaign against the measure Tuesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Jacksonville.
He was accompanied by members of Physicians Against Amendment 4.
DeSantis addressed many of the group’s concerns, including that the proposal lacks defined terms, contains deceptive language and could take away parental consent for abortions.
“If a parent finds out they are getting stuff done without even knowing or consenting, that’s not acceptable,” DeSantis said. “Now, there’s bait and switch on this provision, too, because … there’s nothing in the amendment that will prohibit notification of the parents about a minor having an abortion. That is not the same as consent.”
The doctors have expressed concern about the term “viability” and that "provider" could allow nonphysicians to perform abortion procedures.
In Florida, viability is defined as “the stage of fetal development when the life of a fetus is sustainable outside the womb through standard medical measures.” It is typically considered 24 weeks.
However, the word goes undefined in the amendment, which to opponents suggests procedures could take place at any point in fetal development.
DeSantis’ comments echoed those made on Monday in Coral Gables during a rally that concluded with a prayer by the archbishop of Miami and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez asking people to not “vote like atheists.”
“When you're dealing with constitutional amendments your default should always be no,” DeSantis said Monday. “You can always alter normal policies and legislation. Once it's in the constitution, that's forever. You really have zero chance of ever changing. it.”
The proposal requires the approval of 60% of vote to pass.
Information from WLRN, Dan Scanlan of Jacksonville Today/WJCT and Jose Mario Pederson of Central Florida Public Media was used in this report.
