Urgent call to action: Join the battle to preserve abortion rights in Florida

Steve Been and Katie Haggerty
·3 min read
16

Abortion rights are under attack in Florida, and you can help.

The only way we can save choice in Florida is by putting an explicit abortion right in the constitution. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, seven states have held a statewide vote related to abortion access. In all seven, abortion access has won. We can do the same in Florida.

A woman holds a Bible at a pro-life rally in front of the steps of the Historic Capitol on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.
A woman holds a Bible at a pro-life rally in front of the steps of the Historic Capitol on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.

To get on the ballot, we need 891,523 signatures statewide and a minimum number in a least half our congressional districts.  In the 2nd Congressional District, we need 33,010 and the state reports 29, 893 verified as of December 8.  We’re getting close, but we’re running out of time.

Please, sign the petition.  Spread the word.

Since 1980, the Florida Constitution has included a right of privacy that the Florida Supreme Court has repeatedly said includes the right to decide whether to terminate a pregnancy.  Because this right is in the Florida constitution, it should protect the right to choose an abortion – even after the United States Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade last year.

But in Planned Parenthood v. State of Florida, the Florida Attorney General argues that the right to privacy in the Florida Constitution has nothing to do with abortion.  If the Supreme Court agrees, legislative power over abortion will be unlimited.  And the six-week abortion ban the Governor signed into law in April will go into effect.

A six-week ban does not mean a woman has six weeks to obtain an abortion. The six weeks is measured from the first day of a woman’s last menstrual period. By the time she misses a period, four of the six weeks will have already run. For many women, six weeks will be over before she even knows she’s pregnant.

A small crowd gathered on the steps of the Historic Capitol for a press conference to voice their opposition to the near total abortion ban bill being voted on by the Senate later this week Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
A small crowd gathered on the steps of the Historic Capitol for a press conference to voice their opposition to the near total abortion ban bill being voted on by the Senate later this week Wednesday, March 29, 2023.

Even for those who have a regular 28-day cycle - which many don’t - and are paying close attention to the timing of their periods, two weeks may not be long enough to have a pregnancy test, raise money for an abortion, get time off from work, make childcare arrangements, and fit in the two appointments - 24 hours apart - required by Florida law, not to mention travel if the woman does not live near an abortion clinic.  

For some, going to a state like Virginia or Illinois may be an option. But for many, the six-week rule will make it impossible to get an abortion at all.

A coalition has launched a petition drive to get abortion rights on the November 2024 ballot. The initiative, “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion” will preserve the right to an abortion until viability or when necessary to protect the woman’s health, as determined by the healthcare provider.

More: Florida’s attorney general vows to challenge language in abortion initiative

If you think everyone should be able to make our own private medical decisions, free of government interference, and you’re registered to vote in Florida, go to

floridiansprotectingfreedom.com/petition.  Print out the petition. Fill in your name, address, and date of birth or voter registration number, and sign. Be sure to fill in all the blanks, including your county (not country). Mail to the address on the petition.

There’s no time to waste.

Steve Been
Steve Been

Steve Been retired from the Public Defender’s Office in Tallahassee in 2017.  He’s helping gather signatures for the abortion rights initiative. 

Katie Haggerty
Katie Haggerty

Katie Haggerty, a Tallahassee small-business owner, is a Board Member of the RBG Fund, a Tallahassee-based 501c3 that supports people seeking abortion access.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Saving abortion rights in FL: Your signature can make a difference