ORLANDO, Fla. – The “Yes on 4″ campaign kicked off with a rally in Orlando on Saturday, about two weeks after Florida’s Supreme Court ruled to allow a November ballot measure on making abortion rights part of the state’s constitution.
Hundreds of people showed up to the rally at Lake Eola Park, including those on both sides of the issue. For Danielle Tallfuss, the subject hits close to home.
“I can tell you where I was and what I was doing the day Roe v. Wade was overturned,” Tallfuss said. “My experience was having to have an abortion at almost 23-weeks pregnant due to a fetal anomaly and at the time, Florida was a 24-week state, but I assure you if it had happened after the 15-week ban or now after the six-week ban, we would have traveled out of state to receive this care.”
On Monday, April 1, Florida’s Supreme Court passed down a ruling allowing a ballot measure to let voters decide whether the right to an abortion should be enshrined in the state’s constitution. The same court also upheld Florida’s 15-week abortion ban, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed in 2022 and would ultimately make room for a six-week abortion ban he signed last year.
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Now, organizations across the state have come together for the “Yes on 4″ campaign to educate voters and gather support ahead of the November election.
“We can’t let patients be under the risk that the government is putting them under right now,” said Lauren Brenzel, “Yes on 4″ campaign director. “We need to get these politicians out of these healthcare decisions so that they can sit with patients and their doctors instead of their senator and their representatives.”
Those against the amendment also shared their thoughts at the rally.
“We don’t choose, God chooses. It is not our choice, it’s God’s choice whether we live or die, it’s not up to us,” one woman said.
“I’m very opposed to abortion, I think it’s one of the saddest things to ever hurt our nation and I’m totally against it. I’m hoping it can be reversed. It’s going to be a tough uphill battle,” said Mark Romagosa.
Amendment 4 will be on the ballot for the November 2024 general election.
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