Prayer Alert: Oral Argument Tomorrow...

Feb 6, 2024

I’m writing to request your prayers as I head into battle with Planned Parenthood and the ACLU once again. TOMORROW, I will present oral argument before the Florida Supreme Court against a proposed voter amendment for the November ballot that would enshrine unlimited, unfettered abortion in the state Constitution.

Planned Parenthood’s scheme is so breathtaking the only law or regulation that will possibly survive is parental notification (not consent). No other law or regulation will be permitted. NONE! Not even health and safety laws.

Please pray that we can stop this baby-killing monstrosity of a ballot initiative. Read on for a sneak peek of the argument I will deliver before the Court tomorrow morning. — Mat

SHOULD A TATTOO ARTIST BE ALLOWED TO
DETERMINE VIABILITY OF A PREBORN BABY, OR VETO ANY STATE LAW —
INCLUDING HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS?

OBVIOUSLY, “NO.”

YET THE DECEPTIVELY WORDED FLORIDA ABORTION AMENDMENT
WILL MAKE THIS ABSURDITY A REALITY.
IT MUST STAY OFF THE BALLOT.

Tomorrow morning, I will deliver oral argument before the Florida Supreme Court in opposition to the Planned Parenthood ballot initiative entitled “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion.”

I want you to let this sink in — If passed, NO LAW will be permitted to “restrict” abortion. Every law is a restriction on something. Clinic health and safety laws restrict how and where an abortion can be performed. EVERY LAW RESTRICTS SOMETHING — AND HERE NO LAW (EXCEPT FOR PARENTAL NOTIFICATION) WILL BE STRUCK DOWN.

This amendment will throw women into the lion’s den to be used and abused by abortionists. And the state will have NO power to stop abuse.

This proposed amendment should not be allowed on the November 2024 ballot because it violates Florida law in that the title of the amendment and the ballot summary are misleading, and it violates the single subject rule. The amendment would overrule state law and permit abortion for any reason, at any time, up to birth.

FULL TEXT OF BALLOT SUMMARY:
“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. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.” (emphasis added)

(1) The Amendment Title and Ballot Summary Are Misleading.

  • The language used is misleading and vague. “Limit interference” in the title and “No law shall ... restrict” are contradictory.

  • The Ballot Summary is false. The Amendment will mean abortion will become totally unregulated under state law — and this includes health and safety regulations.

  • Undefined terms such as “healthcare provider,” “health,” “necessary,” and “viability” mean there will be no regulation of abortion, and women and parents will have no protections.

  • The Amendment authorizes a “healthcare provider” with no medical training to determine “viability" and to permit abortion for any reason at any time up to birth. Under current Florida law, even tattoo artists, massage therapists, and nail technicians, along with dozens of other nonmedical professions, are considered licensed healthcare professionals.

(2) The Amendment Violates the Single Subject Rule.

  • The Amendment includes two categorical subjects of abortion — before “viability” and after “viability.”

  • The Amendment includes four categorical prohibitions of abortion that each have different meanings: “prohibit,” “penalize,” “delay,” and “restrict."

  • The Amendment would completely deregulate abortion, not allowing the state — including the legislature, the judiciary, and the executive branch any authority to protect women or unborn children. NO LAW — except for possibly parental notification — will be allowed. NONE. NEVER! This is stunning.

The language of this deceptive and deliberately confusing amendment would authorize abortion for any reason, without ANY restrictions, at any time up to birth.

This ballot initiative is just one more attempt by Planned Parenthood and other abortionists to protect their bloody but highly lucrative business of killing preborn children. And they’re trying to trick Floridians into voting this deception into the state constitution. To achieve their objective, they are willing to throw women under the bus.

Liberty Counsel aims to stop this unlawful ballot initiative in its tracks.

Liberty Counsel played a part in overturning Roe v. Wade when our powerful amicus brief was cited in the Dobbs decision that ended five decades of abortion sanctioned by the Supreme Court. Now we are going state to state, fighting to protect the lives of the unborn.

We need YOUR help to fund our crucially important legal work defending life, religious freedom, and the natural family. Support our legal fund today and have YOUR IMPACT DOUBLED by a special Challenge Grant. Please, give generously today.

Please be in prayer for our legal team as we do battle with Planned Parenthood once again. May the Lord be with us in defense of His precious innocent children.

Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel

 

TAKE ACTION

In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Congress needs to hear from you regarding HR 15 — a bill that would federally overturn the 2003 partial birth abortion ban and enshrine abortion up until birth as a federally protected “right.” Fax Congress NOW to protect Americans from HR 15, the misnamed “Equality Act,” and don’t forget to sign the petition!

TAKE ACTION