Abortion rights advocates lose battle over statement on financial impact of vote

The election campaign over Amendment 4, which would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, is expected to be close.

The Florida Supreme Court has ruled against abortion rights activists who fought to repeal a controversial financial impact statement that was supposed to be on the November ballot under Amendment 4.

Taryn Fenskea spokesman for the governor. Ron DeSantiscalled the verdict “great news.”

“The Supreme Court has taken a critical step by ruling that the financial impact statement will appear on the ballot for Amendment 4,” she said in a prepared statement. “This ensures that voters will learn the truth about the dangerous and misleading Amendment 4 – including opening the door to taxpayer-funded abortions that may cause the baby to feel pain, and reinforcing the truth and facts that the ACLU authors seek to withhold from voters.”

The group supporting Amendment 4, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, argued that the financial impact statement was misleading and a dirty political ploy to dissuade voters from supporting the initiative. They challenged the statement in court, but Wednesday's court ruling Her lawsuit was dismissed.

“Adding a misleading financial impact statement to intentionally confuse voters is a shameful attempt to hide the fact that Florida law currently bans abortions before many women know they are pregnant, with no exceptions for rape, incest or a woman's health,” said Yes on 4 campaign director Lauren Brenzel he said in a prepared statement on Wednesday.

“It's definitely a yes to Amendment 4 because Amendment 4 will provide important health care protections to limit government interference so doctors can do their jobs and provide abortion care to their patients.”

The battle over Amendment 4, which would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, is likely to be close, with both sides seeking every advantage.

Amendment 4 needs at least 60% support to be adopted. A recent poll predicted would happen; another showed that it failedMany voters are also still undecided.

The statement on the financial impact states in part: “The proposed change would result in significantly more abortions and fewer live births each year in Florida. The increase in abortions could be even greater if the change repeals laws that require parental consent before abortions for minors and those that ensure that only licensed physicians perform abortions. There is also uncertainty about whether the change will require the state to subsidize abortions with public funds. Litigation to resolve these and other uncertainties will impose additional costs on state government.”

A state panel – which included a representative from DeSantis' office and an employee of the Heritage Foundation, the conservative group behind Project 2025 — wrote the statement last month.