One year after the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated right to abortion, Florida’s campaign to protect access hits major milestones

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 23, 2023

FLORIDIANS PROTECTING FREEDOM

One year after the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated right to abortion, Florida’s campaign to protect access hits major milestones

The ballot initiative to protect abortion from government interference has already collected nearly a quarter of the signatures required for qualification

SARASOTA, Fla. — One year after the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated the federal right to abortion, Floridians across the state are taking action to protect abortion access. In less than two months, Floridians Protecting Freedom has collected signatures from more than 240,000 Floridians.

The statewide campaign Floridians Protecting Freedom seeks to amend the state’s constitution and protect Floridians’ ability to make personal medical decisions, without government interference.

The ballot initiative comes at a critical time for abortion access in Florida and across the country. In the year since the Dobbs decision, abortion bans have eliminated all or some access to abortion in 20 states – including Florida, where a ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy took effect in July 2022 and a ruling on that ban will determine the implementation of a six-week ban in the state. Pregnant Floridians have been forced to travel out-of-state for essential reproductive health care; to wait for life-saving medical care because of unclear policies; and to carry pregnancies to term, even knowing their fetus would not survive. Florida’s abortion ban denies people the freedom to decide what is best for their own bodies and futures.

Support for the campaign is clear — since launching in May, the campaign has:

Collected more than 240,000 petitions, of which 60,000 were collected by volunteers or submitted directly to the campaign via mail by Florida voters
Raised more than $4 million dollars
Garnered the support of more than 100 health care providers — including physicians, nurses, and other clinicians — in support of the initiative
Received endorsements from over 190 local, statewide, and national organizations, including Planned Parenthood Action Fund, SEIU 1199, and Florida’s branch of the Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice
Launched over 150 canvasses statewide

Statement from Lauren Brenzel, Campaign Director, Floridians Protecting Freedom:

“In the year since we lost the right to abortion, Floridians have hungered for a way to fight back. Now, they are turning out in droves to support the ballot initiative ‘Limiting Government Interference in Abortion.’ They know this is our best opportunity to remove politicians from private medical decisions in Florida. They’re rallying their fellow Floridians, hosting petition drives and volunteer trainings everywhere from coffee shops to nursing homes.

“Across the state, people are connecting with other Floridians who believe that the government does not belong in our health care decisions. Our campaign is strong, and our movement is even stronger. As we look to the year ahead, Floridians Protecting Freedom will continue to empower voters across the state.”

Over the next six months, Floridians Protecting Freedom plans to ramp up its campaign, deploying both paid and volunteer petition gatherers across the state. Should the ballot initiative qualify, it will be on Florida’s 2024 general election ballot. For more information on the campaign, visit FloridiansProtectingFreedom.com.