By Marisa Laudadio
5:47am PDT, Apr 8, 2024
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Florida's Supreme Court issued two significant decisions concerning abortion on April 1:
First, the court voted 6-1 to let stand a law that bans abortions after 15 weeks, a move that triggers a more restrictive six-week abortion ban — which was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis — that will take effect in May.
But in a separate 4-3 ruling made the same day, the court allowed for a November ballot measure that will give voters the chance to enshrine abortion rights as an amendment in Florida's constitution.
Those decisions, experts say, could be wildly important in the presidential as well as Congressional races in November considering that, following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, voters in every single state that offered an abortion ballot measure have supported the right to choose.
Politicians, lawmakers, commentators and stars in the state of Florida and beyond have weighed in on the court's two big decisions. Keep reading to learn how they're reacting…
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Donald Trump took days to formulate his final response. "We'll be making a statement next week on abortion," the former president told reporters during a press conference-style campaign event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on April 2.
In a September 2023 interview with NBC News, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee for 2024 criticized Florida's six-week abortion ban — which was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis — calling it a "terrible thing and a terrible mistake."
He hinted that he thinks a compromise on the issue would help Republicans, saying, "Other than certain parts of the country, you can't — you're not going to win on this issue. But you will win on this issue when you come up with the right number of weeks," he said.
Then on April 8, the Florida resident finally announced his position — keep reading for the details…
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Donald Trump, a resident of Florida, publicly announced his position on legislating abortion in a video statement posted on his Truth Social platform on April 8.
"My view is now that we have abortion where everyone wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both. And whatever they decide must be the law of the land. In this case, the law of the state," he said.
"Many states will be different," he continued. "Many will have a different number of weeks, or some will have more conservative than others, and that's what they will be. At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people."
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"Yesterday's extreme decision puts desperately needed medical care even further out of reach for millions of women in Florida and across the South. The Court not only upheld Florida's current ban on women being able to make their own reproductive choices, it will likely trigger Governor DeSantis' even more extreme law that would prevent women from accessing care before many even know they are pregnant. It is outrageous.
Florida's bans – like those put forward by Republican elected officials across the country – are putting the health and lives of millions of women at risk. These extreme laws take away women's freedom to make their own health care decisions and threaten physicians with jail time simply for providing the medical care that they were trained to provide.
Vice President [Kamala] Harris and I stand with the vast majority of Americans who support a woman's right to choose, including in Florida, where voters will have the opportunity to make their voices heard in support of a reproductive freedom ballot initiative this November. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting reproductive freedom in Florida and across the nation and will continue to call on Congress to pass a law restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade in every state." —President Joe Biden, in a statement from the White House on April 2
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"Florida's plan to implement a six-week abortion ban is disgraceful and dangerous. Let me be clear: If you need care, New York will be your safe harbor. We refuse to go backwards." —New York's Governor Kathy Hochul, on X
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"A 15 week abortion ban — no exception for rape. A 6 week abortion ban — before a mom can get a doctor's appointment. FL has the chance to overturn all of this in November. Let's help them. Let's show the @GOP they are out of step with America." –California's Governor Gavin Newsom
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"Both [decisions] by the [Florida] Supreme Court were bad news for Donald Trump," "Morning Joe" co-host Joe Scarborough said on his show on April 2. "[The] first thing the court did was stick Trump with Ron DeSantis's six-week abortion ban — [that] will be extraordinarily unpopular. And the second thing is [it's] making the election in '24 a referendum on the six-week abortion ban. That's just bad for Donald Trump and Republican candidates up and down the ballot. Does that mean that Biden's going to win Florida? It's still a long shot, but I'll tell you what, if I'm a Florida Republican, I hate this being on the ballot."
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"The citizens of the state of Florida will determine what, if any, abortion rights there will be in the state of Florida [in the November election]. I support that. I am pro-life and I know the way I'm going to be voting, but at the end, the people of Florida will speak. And I don't believe [abortion] is going to be that much of an issue. The issue that's going to really carry the day is the border, inflation, our standing around the world — and the Biden administration and the Democrats are wrong on all three issues." —Rep. Carlos Gimenez, a Republican from Florida, on Fox Business
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"The decision to allow Florida's abortion ban to remain in effect will harm not just the women of Florida but also millions more women who might have traveled to the state to seek reproductive health services. Trump created this health care crisis. @JoeBiden and I will do everything to stop him." –Vice President Kamala Harris, on X
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"When states like Florida pass abortion bans, it's hard not to get discouraged. Well, a bright spot: Amendment 4 in FL will be on the ballot to protect reproductive rights. That's right, voters can defend choice. We've won everywhere from Ohio to Kansas — elections matter!" —Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, on X
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"The Florida Supreme Court's decision will allow Republicans' devastating 6-week abortion ban to go into effect — before most women even know they are pregnant. Floridians who don't want the gov't interfering with their health care will decide in November whether this ban stays." –Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat from the state of Washington
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"Can't wait to see Florida Republicans twist themselves into knots defending their abortion ban and their main spokesperson is… Ron DeSantis" —Senator Tina Smith, a Democrat from Minnesota
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"I applaud the Florida Supreme Court's decision today to allow a ballot initiative protecting abortion rights in the Sunshine State. Everyone deserves the right to make their own healthcare decisions, and this referendum gives women the opportunity to voice that opinion." —Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Democrat from Florida, on X
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"Florida is now ground zero in the fight to protect a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive health care decisions," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said during a House Democratic leadership meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on April 2.
"An extreme group of individuals in this state, led by the current governor, are prepared by almost any means to jam their radical right wing ideology down the throats of the people of this state as part of an effort to try to impose a nationwide abortion ban. But we can stop them. We must stop them, and we will stop them together."
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"FL just got far more competitive. Abortion AND recreational marijuana are now on [the] ballot. AND DeSantis' bat-s*** crazy 6 week abortion ban — one of country's most restrictive — is going into effect. Each one of these is significant. Collectively, they could be game-changers." –Ana Navarro-Cardenas, on X
