WASHINGTON — Floridians Protecting Freedom, which collected nearly 1 million signatures to put an abortion rights amendment on the Florida ballot this November, says the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision two years ago has had a major impact on the state, which now has a six-week abortion ban.
"We are seeing individuals that are having to travel out of state, spending a lot of time and money to get care," said Floridians Protecting Freedom Communications Director Natasha Sutherland. "We see folks that are having to make a very difficult decision in maybe a day or two if they do meet the requirements of the new abortion ban in the state of Florida."
The campaign says it has raised $20 million in the 11 weeks since the Florida Supreme Court ruled Amendment 4 — which would enshrine abortion rights in the Florida Constitution — could appear on the November ballot.
He said 72% of donations from April 1 to June 14 have been coming just from Florida.
"And so, for us, that's a significant number," Sutherland said. "We're very, very excited about that number and we're looking forward to raising more, because we do need to fund this effort at scale, like any other statewide campaign."
The amendment is opposed by anti-abortion rights groups like Susan B. Anthony pro-life America, which celebrated the Dobbs anniversary, saying:
“Two years after the Dobbs Supreme Court decision restored the right of the people and their elected representatives to protect unborn children from abortion, an estimated 200,902 lives are protected annually thanks to pro-life laws in 24 states.”
The Supreme Court is also expected to deliver a ruling soon on a case involving emergency abortions.
"I think depending on what happens either way, I think it'll continue to raise the salience of Amendment 4 and the importance of its passage, just like the anniversary of Dobbs, just like the near total abortion ban that was passed, and I think that people are watching," Sutherland said.
Amendment 4 needs the support of 60% of voters to be enacted.