The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida has filed a lawsuit alleging that the state is using taxpayer funds to promote a “misinformation campaign” against Amendment 4, a referendum up for a vote in November that could overturn the current six-week abortion ban.
The ACLU’s lawsuit focuses on a state-funded website and media ads asserting that Amendment 4 protects life. The organization claims the state is pushing legal limits with its messaging.
Keisha Mulfort, ACLU’s senior communication strategist, emphasized the importance of safeguarding citizen-led initiatives.
“We want to ensure that politicians and the government are not utilizing these resources to smear a citizen-led initiative,” she said.
For Mulfort, this issue is deeply personal. She reflected on her own challenging pregnancy experience two years ago.
“They could not give me informed care because of the 15-week ban at that time,” ,” said Mulfort. “[It] was taken from me, and it was taken from my doctors
Supporters of Amendment 4 believe it could restore protections similar to those established by Roe v. Wade. The amendment states, “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by a health care provider.”
However, a coalition of over 300 Florida doctors — organized as Physicians Against Amendment 4 — has expressed concerns over the amendment’s vague language, particularly regarding terms like “viability” and “health care provider.”
It is important to note that the amendment does not change the existing requirement for parental consent in Florida.
A recent Emerson College poll found that 55% of respondents support the amendment, 26% oppose it, and 20% remain undecided.
