JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Just a day after Florida’s six-week ban took effect, the fight over abortion rights in Florida could be heating up yet again, with talks of a special session in the works.
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While its focus seems to be on immigration, conservative groups like the Liberty Counsel are pushing for abortion to be on the table as well.
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Liberty Counsel Chairman Mat Staver says in a special session lawmakers could pass legislation, limiting the scope of Amendment 4 should it pass.
That citizen-led amendment would restore abortion access in Florida back to levels seen under Roe V Wade.
Staver argued vague terms in the ballot language could be reined in by the legislature.
“Viability, the term health, health care provider. Some of those could be defined in the statute,” said Staver.
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Another possibility could be a competing ballot measure to either enshrine an abortion ban into the state constitution or even establish fetal personhood.
Such a move could split the vote on Amendment 4, and prevent it from reaching the necessary 60 percent approval threshold.
We asked Governor Ron DeSantis Thursday, if abortion could be on the table in a special session.
“That would be news to me if that were to happen in terms of any other amendments being added to the ballot, but there may be people in the legislature talking,” said DeSantis.
State Representative Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) said if abortion is on the table in a special session, she fears Republicans would be more likely to propose an extreme restriction, rather than offer a compromise like a 15-week ban.
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“The Republican caucus doesn’t compromise. They are power hungry. They don’t want voters to have a say and I suspect that any special session will reflect that same attitude,” said Eskamani.
Staver said short of implementing legislation or a competing amendment, the Liberty Counsel is at the very least lobbying for the legislature to hold public hearings on Amendment 4 to try and convince voters to reject it.
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