FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2024
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Yes On 4 campaign officially kicks off in Orlando
ORLANDO – The Yes On 4 campaign held its campaign launch and “Rally to Stop the Six-Week Abortion Ban” at Lake Eola Park in Orlando today. The rally included patients who shared their personal stories, and providers who have been adversely impacted by Florida’s increasingly restrictive policies, particularly the looming near-total abortion ban.
“Today we’re sending an unmistakable message that Floridians from all walks of life are banding together to overturn the six-week ban and put these decisions back in the hands of Florida families and their doctors, not extreme politicians,” said Dr. Marian Sampson, OB/GYN with Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.
Speakers included: Sarah Parker and Tsi Day Smyth, leaders with Women’s Voices of Southwest Florida; families who have direct experience with the need to limit government interference with abortion including: Derick Cook, Danielle Tallafuss, Mary Duran-Eakins, Trenece Robertson and Gabby Long; and health care provider, Dr. Marian Sampson.
Following the speakers, attendees marched around Lake Eola in support of Amendment 4 and in defiance of the state’s interference in their reproductive freedom.
On April 1st, the Florida Supreme Court broke 40 years of precedent by removing abortion protections previously provided by the Florida Constitution, triggering a six-week abortion ban to take effect on May 1st.
The Southeast is already experiencing a public health crisis, and banning abortion in Florida will only make it worse. “We’ve already seen the devastating impacts of the 15-week abortion ban; a six-week ban will force more Floridians to leave the state for the care they need,” said Dr. Sampson. “For those who are unable to travel, they will be forced to carry pregnancies against their will, subjecting them to life-altering, and sometimes life-threatening, consequences.”
“The majority of Floridians believe that we deserve the freedom to make personal medical decisions without interference from politicians,” said Danielle Tallafuss, who had an abortion due to a fetal anomaly in 2020, before the fall of Roe v. Wade and anti-abortion politicians placed new restrictions on the procedure. “And they will make that known loud and clear this November with the passage of Amendment 4.”