Florida's top court ushers in six-week abortion ban
By Nadine Yousif
Florida’s top court has paved the way for the state’s six-week abortion ban to take effect, but is allowing voters to have their say on the issue.
The justices have upheld the state’s 15-week ban on abortion, in a ruling that means a subsequently passed six-week ban can soon begin.
But the court will also let Floridians decide in November if abortion access should be sealed in the state charter.
Most Americans back legalised abortion, but most also favour restrictions.
The abortion ballot initiative could energise liberal voters in a presidential swing state that has been trending conservative in recent election cycles.
On Monday, Florida’s Republican-appointed justices decided by 6-1 that the state’s constitution – specifically its privacy protections – did not apply to abortion access.
The ruling upheld Florida’s existing 15-week abortion ban, passed in 2022.
A year ago Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a six-week abortion ban, but that bill was written so as to be placed on hold until the 15-week ban had cleared legal challenges.
