Lawmakers should restore abortion rights in Florida | Opinion
Recently, the Florida state legislature convened its organizational session in Tallahassee. In his opening remarks, new House Speaker Daniel Perez said he wanted to block out the noise from social media and lobbyists’ influence and focus on what’s best for Floridians.
I’ll take Speaker Perez at his word to put partisanship aside.
In the most recent election, Floridians voted overwhelmingly—by more than 57%—for Amendment 4, which would have enshrined abortion rights in the Florida Constitution and allow abortion up to fetal viability.
But 57% is not enough in Florida. Unfortunately, in 2006, Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment to raise the threshold to pass constitutional amendments from 50% to 60%.
However, we are not giving up. We are calling upon the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature to repeal the state’s six-week abortion ban next year. It could begin in the Florida House being led by Speaker Perez (R-Miami).
The fact of the matter is that Republicans are viewing this election as a mandate on the will of the people. But they must also consider that Floridians clearly rejected the extreme six-week abortion ban imposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature.
Still, I highlight this percentage because Donald Trump received 56 percent of the vote. In raw number, this means that Floridians, a mix of Democrats, Republicans, and third party voters, decided that enshrining abortion protections was more significant than the presidential candidate that won the state of Florida.
From a numbers standpoint, this is significant. Before folks say that Trump got more overall votes than Amendment 4, I would note that Sen. Rick Scott – a sitting U.S. Senator and former governor of Florida – received fewer votes than Amendment 4 – despite being the second race on a ballot where the abortion amendments appeared last.
Moreover, when we hear horrific stories from states like Texas and Georgia, where women are dying or being forced to give birth after surviving rape, it’s hard to imagine how that aligns with Speaker Perez’s vision for Florida.
As we look ahead to 2025, Speaker Perez is about to lead as one of the most powerful figures in Florida politics.
In my opinion, he will have essentially one question to answer: Will Floridians be better off two years from now than they are now?
When it comes to reproductive rights, healthcare and quality of life, other states with similar abortion restrictions have shown that the answer is a resounding No.
So, Speaker Perez, I ask you to heed your own words, do what’s best for Floridians, and respect the will of the voters by helping restore reproductive rights in Florida.
Dwight Bullard is a former Florida state senator and is now a senior political advisor to Florida Rising, a statewide voting rights and grassroots organizing group working to build power in Black and brown communities.