The Florida abortion ban that could sway the election
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 2 April 2024
⏱️ 23 minutes
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Summary
What Florida’s six-week abortion ban could mean for abortion access in the South – and whether the ban will motivate Florida voters to protect abortion access at the polls in November.
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On Monday, Florida’s Supreme Court issued a decision that will allow one of the country’s strictest and most far-reaching abortion bans to take effect on May 1.
However, the court also ruled that an amendment to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution can go on the November ballot, which would mean the six-week abortion ban could be undone in a matter of months if Floridians vote to protect the procedure.
Together, the two rulings will ensure that abortion is a major issue in Florida during the presidential election — with Floridians experiencing the realities of a six-week abortion ban for six months before they have the opportunity to weigh in on the issue. Today, the Post’s Florida reporter, Lori Rozsa, walks us through this critical moment for Florida and what this could mean for abortion access across the South.
Another story we’re following: On Monday night, an Israeli strike hit a humanitarian convoy and killed seven aid workers for World Central Kitchen, the food assistance group founded by celebrity chef José Andrés. Andrés spoke to “Post Reports” last month about his work feeding people in war zones, including Gaza. You can listen to that episode here.
Transcript
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| 0:31.5 | On Monday in Florida the state Supreme Court put out two rulings at the same time on abortion. |
| 0:38.8 | One ruling allows one of the strictest abortion bans in the country to take effect, a six-week ban. |
| 0:45.7 | The other will allow voters going to the polls in November to decide whether to make abortion |
| 0:50.6 | access a right in the state's constitution. This amendment would make abortion |
| 0:53.9 | access a right in the state's constitution. This amendment would undo the six-week ban |
| 0:56.5 | and other abortion restrictions that have passed in recent years. |
| 1:00.1 | The two rulings that came down Monday have been anticipated for months now. |
| 1:07.0 | Ever since Governor Ron DeSantis signed a six-week abortion ban into law last year. |
| 1:14.0 | Lori Rosa covers Florida for the post. |
| 1:17.0 | The dual rulings, especially coming out on the same day, |
| 1:20.0 | caused some confusion, and even with proponents of abortion access they had a press conference yesterday |
| 1:26.5 | after the rulings were issued and the mood was between both celebratory because voters will now get to decide whether abortion |
| 1:36.5 | rights should go in the Constitution but also grim because for the next nine |
| 1:40.5 | months women in Florida are going to be under this six-week ban. |
| 1:44.4 | There is nowhere in our southern region to intake Florida's patients. |
| 1:49.2 | Women will be forced to travel thousands of miles away from their support systems and their own providers because Florida |
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