The 19th: “The Florida Supreme Court struck down its state abortion protection — paving the way for a six-week ban passed in 2023 to take effect — but will allow voters to weigh in on whether they can amend the state’s constitution to explicitly enshrine abortion rights.
The court issued two separate rulings Monday: one upholding a 15-week abortion ban passed in 2022, and another approving an abortion rights ballot measure to go before voters this November. The measure — which will need the backing of 60 percent of voters to pass, the highest threshold in the country — would amend Florida’s constitution to explicitly guarantee abortion rights in the state to the point of fetal viability, which is determined by physicians but is usually around 22 to 25 weeks of pregnancy.
But in the interim, Florida will join its neighbors in the South in outlawing abortion for most of pregnancy. That is because in 2023, the state legislature passed a subsequent abortion ban, cutting off access to the procedure after six weeks — but holding that the law would take effect 30 days after the state court issued a ruling upholding 2022’s 15-week law.”