Abortion measure will be allowed on Florida ballot, state Supreme Court says

Abortion protections will be on the ballot in Florida this year after the state Supreme Court said Monday a proposed ballot measure can move forward.

Facing an April 1 deadline to rule, the court sided with Floridians Protecting Freedom, a coalition of abortion-rights groups sponsoring the initiative. By greenlighting the measure, the court dealt a serious blow to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and GOP Attorney General Ashley Moody, who opposed it.

Supporters had already gathered more than enough signatures to qualify for the ballot pending the Supreme Court review.

If passed, the initiative would roll back the state’s current 15-week ban to the point of viability, about 24 weeks, when the fetus can survive outside the womb.  

The measure needs to reach a 60 percent threshold to be approved. Citizen-led ballot initiatives face a steep path to getting on the ballot, as the GOP-majority Legislature has changed requirements over the years to make it more difficult.