Click here to live chat with one of our writers between 9am-5pm CST.
Florida Abortion, Amendment 6 (2012)
From Ballotpedia
| Abortion Amendment | |
 | |
| Quick stats | |
| Type: | Constitutional amendment |
| Constitution: | Article I |
| Referred by: | Florida State Legislature |
| Topic: | Abortion |
| Status: | On the ballot |
Contents |
The proposed measure would prohibit the use of public funds for abortions except as required by federal law and to save the mother's life. Additionally, the measure stipulates that the state constitution cannot be interpreted to include broader rights to abortion than those contained in the United States Constitution.[1][2]
The Senate bill version (SJR 1538) is sponsored by Sen. Anitere Flores, while the House bill (HJR 1179) is sponsored by Rep. Dennis Baxley. HJR 1179 was referred to the ballot.
The proposed measure requires 60 percent voter approval for adoption.
Support
The group Citizens for Protecting Taxpayers and Parental Rights has come out in support of the amendment. Randy Armstrong, president of the group, says because abortion can have lasting effects, parents should have the right to be a part of the decision.[3]
Path to the ballot
In order to qualify for the November 2012 ballot the proposed amendment requires approval by a minimum of 60% in the both the House and the Senate.
On March 28, 2011 the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 4-2 in favor of the proposed measure. Previously, the proposal was approved by the Senate Health Regulation Committee following a 8-4 vote on March 14.[4] On April 15 the Senate Rules Committee voted 9 to 3 in favor; sending the proposal to the Senate floor.[5]
The House version, HJR 1179, of the proposed legislation was approved by the House on April 27 following a 82-35 vote. A day later, on April 28, the Senate voted 27-12 in favor of referring the measure to the ballot. However, the Senate amended the proposed legislation, therefore the measure must be approved by the House one last time.[6][7] On May 4 the House approved the amended bill thus referring the bill to the ballot. The House voted 79-34.[8][9]
Timeline
The following is a timeline of events surrounding the measure:
| Event | Date | Developments |
|---|---|---|
| Vote | Mar. 28, 2011 | The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 4-2 in favor of the proposed measure. |
| Vote | Apr. 15, 2011 | The Senate Rules Committee voted 9 to 3 in favor. |
| Approval | Apr. 27, 2011 | Proposed legislation was approved by the House following a 82-35 vote. |
| Approval | Apr. 28, 2011 | The Senate voted 27-12 in favor of referring the measure to the ballot. |
| Final vote | May 4, 2011 | Senate amended proposal, House had to approve bill before sending it to the ballot. The House voted 79-34 in favor. |
See also
| By Eric Veram Ballot measure writer |
| Email • Submit a link |
External links
Additional reading
- The Florida Independent,"Elections overhaul makes it harder to challenge 2012 ballot measures," July 7, 2011
- The Miami Herald,"Lawmakers ask voters to weigh in on abortion, taxes and more issues in 2012," May 11, 2011
- The Herald Tribune,"Legislature passes 7 ballot items for 2012," May 6, 2011
- News Service of Florida ,"House passes two pro-life measures, one goes to ballot," May 4, 2011
- Associated Press,"Fla. House voting on abortion-limiting bills," April 26, 2011
References
- ↑ Florida State Senate,"SJR 1538 full text," retrieved March 16, 2011
- ↑ Miami New Times,"Proposed State Amendment Would Deny Funding For Abortions For Rape and Incest Victims," March 14, 2011
- ↑ WFSU "Anti-abortion groups push passage of Amendment Six," April 10, 2012
- ↑ Florida Senate,"SJR 1538 vote history," retrieved April 18, 2011
- ↑ Sunshine State News,"'No Tax Funds for Abortion' Ballot Measure Heads to Senate Floor," April 15, 2011
- ↑ LifeNews.com,"Florida Legislature Approves Six Pro-Life Bills on Abortion," May 2, 2011
- ↑ Miami New Times,"Florida Senate Passes First Round of Anti-Abortion Bills," April 28, 2011
- ↑ The Palm Beach Post,"Legislature puts four amendments up for vote in 2012," May 5, 2011
- ↑ Florida State Senate,"HJR 1179 May 4 vote," May 4, 2011
| ||||||||||||||||
