Florida's controversial abortion amendment is the subject of at least ten separate court cases or litigation threats ahead of the November election—and there are still two and half weeks for more.
In the process, and at the root of many of the court battles, at least three different state agencies have used at least $9.3 million of taxpayer funds to finance various "media campaigns" associated with Amendment 4 and to defend against a slew of legal cases being brought against the state, Seeking Rents reported.
It's a messy—and often overlapping—labyrinth of clashes over Florida's proposed Amendment 4, which overturns the state's six-week abortion ban.
Here's a breakdown of every legal skirmish:
Apr. 13, 2023: While Florida courts were still battling out the legalities of a 15-week abortion ban, the Republican-dominated Legislature in 2023 muscled through a Gov. Ron DeSantis-endorsed six-week abortion ban.
May 8, 2023: Enraged pro-abortion advocates, calling the ban "dangerous", began to gather nearly a million petition signatures to put Amendment 4 on the 2024 ballot hoping to guarantee abortion access until "fetal viability"—around 24 weeks—in the state constitution.
Nov. 1, 2023: In an attempt to block the measure, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody argued that the wording was too "vague" and asked the state Supreme Court to keep it off the ballot.
Apr. 1: The Court said no.
Jul. 25: The group behind Amendment 4, Floridians Protecting Freedom, contested a newly added financial impact statement implying the amendment may lead to taxpayer-funded abortions. They were upset that it would be on the ballot for voters to see and argued the language was not relevant to the amendment.
Aug. 21: The Florida Supreme Court disagreed.
(Note: the court battles begin to pick up after this point!)
Sep. 6: The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) releases its new website where it claims Amendment 4 "threatens women's safety" and urges Floridians not to "let the fearmongers lie to you."
Sep. 10: Lake Worth attorney Adam Richardson files a court order asking the Florida Supreme Court to issue a writ of quo warranto and mandamus to Attorney General Moody, Gov. DeSantis, and AHCA Secretary Jason Weida demanding they do their jobs properly.
Sep. 12: On behalf of Floridians Protecting Freedom, the ACLU of Florida filed a lawsuit in a Leon County Court asking that they take down the AHCA website and block future public funds being used to promote "false information."
Sep. 13: The Florida Democratic Party filed criminal complaints in three counties reporting AHCA for using an "official government agency for political campaigning." Violation penalties include a first-degree misdemeanor providing for up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.
Oct. 1: The Leon County Circuit dismisses the ACLU's lawsuit.
Oct. 3: Department of Health General Counsel John Wilson sends a series of cease-and-desist to various local TV stations airing a pro-Amendment 4 ad featuring a woman diagnosed with brain cancer while pregnant claiming that under the six-week ban, she would not have been able to get an abortion.
Oct. 10: The Florida Supreme Court dismisses Richardson's complaint.
Oct. 10: Counsel Wilson resigns from his post because "A man is nothing without his conscience," he wrote in his resignation letter.
Oct. 12: The Florida Secretary of State releases a 348-page report claiming nearly 60,000 petitions signed to get Amendment 4 on the ballot were done so fraudulently, and implies Floridians Protecting Freedom's campaign may be guilty of a third-degree felony for allegedly paying circulators per petition collected.
Oct. 14: Richardson files an elections fraud complaint against Sec. Weida alleging he has illegally used his position to campaign against Amendment 4.
Oct. 16: Floridians Protecting Freedom sues former Counsel Wilson and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo for allegedly infringing the First Amendment.
Oct. 16: Citing the Secretary of State's report, a lawsuit filed by former Florida Supreme Court Justice Alan Lawson on behalf of four anti-abortion advocates asks a state court to strike Amendment 4 from the ballot altogether.
Oct. 17: The Leon County court sides with Floridians Protecting Freedom against Wilson and Ladapo, ordering the Department of Health to stop threatening TV stations until Oct. 29, when a hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled.
Amendment 4 needs 60% of voter approval to pass on Nov. 5. If it does, it will amend the state constitution.
