Yes On 4 statement on their lawsuit to correct the Financial Impact Statement accompanying Amendment 4

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2024

Yes On 4 statement on their lawsuit to correct the Financial Impact Statement accompanying Amendment 4

TALLAHASSEE – In today’s hearing on the Yes On 4 lawsuit to compel the state to rewrite the misleading Financial Impact Statement (FIS) currently accompanying Amendment 4’s ballot summary, Judge Cooper ordered the Financial Impact Estimating Conference (FIEC) to redraft the FIS to reflect the state’s current abortion ban.The court found that the current FIS as drafted by the FIEC is unlawfully inaccurate, ambiguous, misleading, unclear, and confusing. This is a win for Florida voters who deserve precise information on Florida’s current abortion ban to make informed choices on their ballots this November.

Attorney Margaret Good, representing Floridians Protecting Freedom in the lawsuit, issued the following statement in response to today’s hearing:

“Judge Cooper found the Financial Impact Statement to be ‘inaccurate, ambiguous, misleading, unclear, and confusing.’ We agree, which is why we brought this lawsuit: since abortion is now banned at 6 weeks, it presents outdated information about the legality of abortion, it discusses litigation which is no longer relevant and it speculates about future litigation, which is misleading. Astonishingly, the defendants themselves—including the FIEC—did not dispute this finding.

“We are satisfied with today’s decision to require the revision of the Financial Impact Statement. Floridians Protecting Freedom worked hard to ensure the amendment language is clear, concise and accurate. We want the state to hold themselves to those same standards. Because it becomes part of the ballot, voters have the right to be provided an accurate financial impact statement.”

“Because the Florida Supreme Court has ruled on the 15-week ban, and the 6-week ban is now in effect, the state’s financial impact statement is no longer accurate. This November, Florida voters need to see updated language on their ballot that does not hide the fact that politicians have already made it nearly impossible to obtain an abortion in Florida. We’re happy the court agrees,” said Attorney Daniel Tilley of ACLU Florida.

Natasha Sutherland, Communications Director for the Yes On 4 Campaign, added:

“At Yes On 4, we believe that Florida voters have a right to accurate election information in order to make informed decisions that impact them, their families, and their communities, including when it comes to ballot initiatives. Voters have two clear choices this November– to maintain the current ban on almost all abortions, with no real exceptions, or vote Yes on Amendment 4 to limit government interference with abortion in Florida. We know Florida’s extreme abortion ban is unpopular, and our campaign will be laser focused on ensuring that voters know the power is in their hands to change that.”

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Yes On 4 is a citizen-led ballot initiative campaign to give Florida voters the chance to ensure the government doesn’t interfere in Floridians’ personal medical decisions. Learn more about the coalition and its work at: https://floridiansprotectingfreedom.com/