The measure faced strong opposition from DeSantis, who used tactics such as using taxpayer funds to run ads that opposed the amendment.
Amendment 4, the grassroots initiative to restore abortion rights in Florida, did not garner enough support from state voters to pass, receiving had 58.4% of the vote with more than 95% of votes counted, according to Decision Desk HQ. The amendment needed at least 60% of the vote to pass.
The citizen-led initiative would have nullified Florida’s current six-week abortion ban that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law in April of last year, and permitted abortion to be legal before viability, which is usually understood to be around 24 weeks – or when necessary to protect a patient’s health – as determined by their healthcare provider.
The measure faced strong opposition from DeSantis, who used tactics such as using taxpayer funds to run ads that opposed the amendment, threatening to sue local TV stations for airing pro-Amendment 4 ads, and sending law enforcement to the homes of people who signed the petition to put the measure on the ballot.
