Florida voters defeat anti-abortion constitutional amendment

Florida voters on Tuesday defeated a ballot initiative that would have prohibited public funds from paying for abortion care except in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of the mother.

Florida's Amendment 6 would have also prevented “privacy rights” in the state constitution from being used to justify the right to an abortion. If approved by voters, the ballot initiative would have allowed for tighter restrictions on abortions in the state.

“The people of Florida have sent a clear message that politicians have no place in a woman’s deeply personal and private medical decisions,” said Jennifer Dalven, director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project. “Whether assaults on women’s health are made at the ballot box, in the legislature or in court, the time has come to say enough is enough. Women deserve better.”

The proposed amendment to the state constitution fell short of the 60 percent "yes" vote needed to pass.