April 1, 2024 - RAC-FL, the Florida-based affiliate of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, commends the Florida Supreme Court’s ruling on Amendment 4. The Amendment to Limit Government Interference in Abortion will now turn the decision on the future of reproductive freedom over to voters, and we will work to support their efforts to enshrine reproductive rights in the Florida Constitution.
“We are relieved that Florida’s Supreme Court has put the decision on reproductive freedom directly in the hands of Florida voters,” said Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center. “Regressive state laws limiting abortion access, like the one signed by Gov. DeSantis, prevent physicians and providers from providing health care and intrude on the religious freedom of all Floridians. Our Jewish tradition recognizes abortion as essential health care that is not only permitted but, in some cases, required. I am proud that our Reform communities in Florida will continue to lead this holy work required to ensure all individuals and families have the power to make their own healthcare decisions.”
Upon receiving news of the Supreme Court’s decision, RAC-FL and partners immediately moved into the next phase of their campaign to provide Florida voters with the resources they will need to vote in November. As part of the Reform Movement’s nonpartisan Every Voice, Every Vote campaign, RAC-FL will be mobilizing turnout, hosting phone banks, post-carding, and texting with Florida voters to encourage voter turnout through continued education and awareness of the ballot measure.
RAC-FL began mobilizing to protect reproductive freedom in 2023 following Gov. Ron DeSantis’s signing of SB 300, which bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a time before many people even know that they are pregnant. In partnership with Floridians Protecting Freedom, RAC-FL collected over 17,000 signatures, contributing to the over 1 million signatories needed to qualify the proposed constitutional amendment for the ballot. The measure, which will need 60% approval to pass, reads in part: “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health, as determined by the patient's healthcare provider."
“Reform congregations across Florida have worked tirelessly the last several months to get reproductive rights on the ballot in November,” said Rabbi Jessica Jacobs of Temple Beth Sholom – Miami Beach, FL. “As we celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision, we are already full steam ahead in our efforts to educate Florida voters on this measure and make sure they have everything they need to cast their vote in November. Our congregations and partners will be leading the statewide efforts to ensure that all Floridians will have the healthcare they deserve.”
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