TALLAHASSEE, Florida — The Florida Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the state’s voters can vote on whether to protect abortion rights and legalize the recreational use of marijuana. This decision comes despite the state attorney general’s objections that these issues should not be on the November ballot.
ABORTION RIGHTS
The proposed amendment aims to safeguard the right to have an abortion, particularly in response to recent stricter restrictions. The state's Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody contended that the proposed amendment is misleading and that voters may not fully grasp the extent to which it will broaden access to the procedure.
The ruling may influence Democratic support in a state that has been closely contested in presidential elections. While many voters may not be excited about a potential rematch between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, it could prompt more abortion rights supporters to vote. Trump claimed victory in Florida four years ago.
The proposed amendment specifies that “no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” It includes one exception already in the state constitution: Parents must be informed before their minor children can obtain an abortion.
Supporters of the measure argued that the language of the ballot summary and the proposed amendment is clear and accused Moody of engaging in politics instead of allowing voters to decide on the matter.
Florida is among several states where voters may directly vote on abortion-related issues this year.
RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA
Voters will decide whether to permit companies that cultivate and sell medical marijuana to sell it to adults over 21 for any reason. The ballot measure also aims to legalize the possession of marijuana for personal use.
Moody asserted that this proposal is deceptive because federal law still prohibits the recreational or medical use of marijuana. She claimed that the court made a mistake previously when it approved the language for the medical marijuana ballot initiative that voters passed in 2016.
This issue, too, could motivate more Democrats to vote.
The court’s assessment of the ballot language was restricted to whether voters could comprehend it and if it addressed a single issue, not the merits of the proposal itself. The measures require 60% approval from voters to be passed.
