Skip to main content
Statement

Florida Supreme Court Puts Moms at Risk by Allowing Draconian Abortion Ban to Take Effect … But State’s Voters Will Have the Final Say

April 2, 2024
Reproductive Justice

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of leaders of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, including tens of thousands in Florida, on yesterday’s Florida State Supreme Court rulings relating to abortion:

“The Florida Supreme Court dealt a devastating blow to the state’s moms and families by allowing one of the strictest, most cruel abortion bans in the country to take effect 30 days from now. Governor DeSantis and his allies in the state legislature demonstrated once again that they care nothing for moms and families by passing a six-week abortion ban that will now take effect on May 1st, putting the health and lives of moms and other pregnant people at grave risk. Like all abortion restrictions and bans, this one will harm moms, women of color, low-income women, young, rural and immigrant women, people with disabilities and those who are LGBTQIA+ the most.

“We fear the toll will be enormous, which is why a six-week abortion ban is wildly unpopular. But Florida voters will have the final say when they vote in November on a ballot measure that would guarantee access to reproductive health care in the state. Moms know that abortion is basic health care, and we will fight hard to protect abortion rights in Florida and across the country. We will remain in this fight, every day, for as long as our access to reproductive health care is threatened or denied.”

-Statement of Monifa Bandele, Senior Vice President, MomsRising

“We commend the organizers and advocates in Florida who worked so hard and so effectively to get abortion access on the ballot this November. We have seen the crises abortion bans create in other states – from moms with ectopic pregnancies being turned away from hospitals, to 10-year-old rape victims being forced to travel for the care they need, to women who have miscarriages being prosecuted, and more. Tragically, that will now be our reality here in Florida.

“But it will not continue. Most people who have abortions are moms, and moms want abortion care to be accessible to all who need it, regardless of where they live, their financial status, or the source of their health coverage. Access to abortion care is essential to being able to choose if and when we have children, and that is a fundamental right. Abortion is health care. Reproductive rights are human rights. And Florida moms will protect our access to the health care we need. We will not allow extremist politicians to create a world in which our rights are severely diminished and our children have fewer rights than we had.”

-Statement of Nina Perez, Florida Director, MomsRising

# # # #

MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, stop discrimination against women and moms, and build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: www.MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.