(PatriotNews.net) – Florida voters have rejected Amendment 4, a proposal that would have added a right to abortion to the state constitution. Decision Desk called the vote at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, confirming that the measure did not reach the 60% support needed to pass. This is a clear win for Governor Ron DeSantis, who led the campaign against Amendment 4, warning that it would turn Florida into an “abortion mecca.”
Throughout the campaign, DeSantis argued that passing the amendment would make Florida one of the most permissive states for abortion. “Because other states in the Southeast have strong pro-life laws, Florida would become the abortion mecca of the region—and perhaps one of the most liberal abortion hubs in the world,” he told faith leaders over the summer.
If it had passed, Amendment 4 would have allowed abortion up to “fetal viability” in the Florida constitution, overriding Florida’s current six-week abortion ban, known as the “heartbeat bill.” This current law stops most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
In addition to legalizing abortion up to viability, the amendment would have limited parental rights, which became a key focus for DeSantis and his team. DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske explained that Amendment 4 would remove current abortion restrictions, including parental consent requirements and limits on taxpayer funding. “This amendment doesn’t just undo existing abortion laws,” Fenske said. “It removes all restrictions, opens up taxpayer funding, and allows non-doctors to perform abortions. It would create a pathway to unrestricted abortion access up until viability—and even beyond that through loopholes.”
Fenske also warned that if Amendment 4 passed, Florida taxpayers could be forced to fund abortions, which she said would change both healthcare and the ethical environment of the state.
The push for Amendment 4 was led by progressive groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood. Major donations also came from prominent progressive figures, including George Soros, along with several Democratic dark money groups. Outside organizations spent millions on the campaign, with Planned Parenthood alone contributing $100 million. The campaign ran ads claiming that Florida’s current laws put women’s health at risk, which led the Florida Department of Health to send cease and desist letters to TV stations airing the ads, warning of legal action over false statements.
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