Pregnancy Call Center Slams Abortion Amendment as Democratic Youth Moves to Raise Turnout

TALLAHASSEE, FL—In the wake of the Sunshine State's abortion decisions, a Tallahassee freshman is taking the initiative to register young women to vote—stressing the need for youth Democratic voters—while a pregnancy call center slams the "right to choice" amendment.

"We distributed a thousand tulips at campuses across the state, teaming up with some sororities to specifically target women on the issue of the right to choice being on the ballot," Jayden D'Onofrio, Chairman of the Florida Future Leaders PAC, told The Floridian.

D'Onofrio, a freshman at Tallahassee Community College, said his organization represents high school and college Democrats. Just yesterday they registered 30 FSU women to vote, but, he says, the total number of statewide new registrees has yet to be counted.

"It's to signify that there's a new season here in Florida, there's new hope, and there's a real availability to create change," he said, acknowledging the almost 900,000 voter registration deficit Democrats face. "The right to choice on the ballot is going to propel turnout among young voters who are consistently more left-leaning—the most left-leaning generation of all the generations that go out to vote. It spells doom for Republicans here in the state."

Earlier this week, D'Onofrio organized "Condoms and Cones Distribution Day", handing out condoms branded with, "Don't Get F*cked by the GOP. Protect Abortion in Florida."

"This Amendment is Extreme"

The Florida Supreme Court announced April 1st two landmark abortion decisions: the first upheld a 15-week abortion ban, triggering a six-week ban to take its place starting May 1st, and the second allowed abortion to be placed on the November ballot.

This initiative is a constitutional amendment protecting abortion access until fetal viability—around 24 weeks—and would require at least 60% of voters to say "yes" to it.

While D'Onofrio announced his organization's "celebration" of the amendment being put to the voters, the Jacksonville-based First Women's Services Pregnancy Call Center—a pro-life crisis center—does not share his enthusiasm.

"It's so important for people whether they're pro-life or pro-choice to vote no on this amendment," the organization's Development Director, Jennifer Pace, told The Floridian. "I don't think that people understand and realize that this amendment would allow abortion up until birth, including when the baby is capable of feeling pain."

"Even a lot of pro-choice people recognize that this amendment goes too far and that this amendment is extreme," she said. She explained that 36% of the center's calls come from out-of-state women seeking help, noting that she expects a dramatic increase in calls from women "regardless of which way the pendulum swings."

Pace was not able to provide a figure on how many women close to the "fetal viability" mark call the center seeking alternative options.

First Women's Services Pregnancy Call Center is among several pregnancy centers that do not provide nor refer women to abortions. Democrats and pro-choice organizations like Planned Parenthood have accused these centers of being "fake clinics" with unlicensed personnel, to the point that Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book drafted two bills to regulate them.

Neither bill made it to a committee stop.