What to know about Amendment 4, the ballot measure to protect women’s reproductive rights in Florida

Amendment 4 seeks to override Florida’s six-week abortion ban and enshrine access to abortion in the state Constitution.

In November, Florida voters won’t just decide who they want to be president, represent them in Congress, and a host of state and local races — they’ll also decide the fate of abortion rights in Florida.

In response to Gov. Ron DeSantis signing a six-week abortion ban last year, a group of reproductive rights advocacy groups formed Floridians Protecting Freedom, a coalition that gathered enough voter signatures to place Amendment 4, a citizen-initiated ballot initiative to enshrine abortion in the state Constitution, on the ballot.

What would Amendment 4 do?

If approved by 60% of Florida voters, Amendment 4 would limit government interference with abortion in Florida, nullifying Florida’s current six-week abortion ban and permitting abortion to be legal before viability – which is usually understood to be around 24 weeks – or when necessary to protect a patient’s health, as determined by their healthcare provider.

What happens if Amendment 4 fails?

Florida’s six-week ban would remain in place, and with it, severe restrictions on women’s reproductive freedom.

Although the ban comes with exceptions for fatal fetal abnormalities and to protect the life of the mother, as well as victims of rape, incest, and human trafficking if they provide evidence, medical doctors and OB-GYNs who oppose the ban say a six-week ban is effectively a total ban, as most women don’t know they are pregnant at that time. 

More critically, the wording in the exceptions is confusing, leaving doctors in a quandary as they fear consequences – such as a hefty fine or loss of their medical license – if they fail to comply with the ban, even when the patient is facing a health emergency.

“The Legislature uses wording that is very confusing,” Dr. Cecilia Grande, a member of the Committee to Protect Health Care Reproductive Freedom Taskforce, told Floricua. “They say, ‘Well, if the patient’s life is at risk, you can go ahead and you can induce the delivery.’ But what is ‘at risk?’” she asked. 

“Every pregnancy is very unique,” Dr. Mona V. Mangat, an internal medicine/pediatric specialist and Board Chair of the Committee to Protect Health Care in Saint Petersburg, told Floricua. “There are so many factors that have to be taken into account [before] just putting an across-the-board ban with no opportunities for personalized care. That’s just going to lead to increased health care complications.” 

Anna Hockhammer, executive director of the Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition, believes Florida’s abortion ban is so extreme that it endangers the health and safety of every woman and girl of reproductive age across the state.

“[The abortion ban] removes the ability of women, their families, and their doctors to make informed decisions about their health. Our fundamental freedoms are at risk from an overreaching state government. That is why every voter should vote Yes on 4.”

Are you ready to vote? Make sure to check your voter registration status, see who’s on your ballot, and make a voting plan here.

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