A Florida panel approved a financial impact statement for an abortion ballot measure the state will vote on in November, but supporters of the amendment are crying foul over the state-approved text.
The financial impact statement is written by the Financial Impact Estimating Conference to tell voters the impact an amendment would have on state revenue and the state budget. The statement for Amendment 4 warns voters of “significantly more abortions and fewer live births per year” if the measure passes in November.
If passed by a 60% margin on Nov. 5, Amendment 4 would prevent the state from creating legislation that would “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.” Opponents of the measure argue the ballot measure is intentionally vague in its wording and could open the door for little to no restrictions on abortion.
The financial impact statement warns the measure may invalidate “laws requiring parental consent before minors undergo abortions and those ensuring only licensed physicians perform abortions” if passed, in addition to uncertainty over whether the state would have to subsidize abortions.