ACLU sues to remove proposed amendment from November ballot

TALLAHASSEE (FBW)-The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and several Planned Parenthood associations filed suit in Leon County Aug. 2 to remove the “parental notification” amendment from Florida’s November ballot. The proposed state constitutional amendment would make it impossible for a woman under 18 to obtain an abortion without parental consent.

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The plaintiffs contend the measure “diminishes a minor woman’s constitutional right of privacy” and state legislators are “intentionally attempting to mislead voters” according to the Aug. 3 Boca Raton News.

Although the Supreme Court, in Roe v. Wade in 1973, established a woman’s constitutional right to choose between childbirth and abortion, Delray abstinence educator Lloyd Groves of BE the One told the Boca Raton Daily,” We’ve made abortion too easy…the guilt these women live with. The brain of the average adolescent isn’t fully developed until the age 25. Some safeguards need to be in place to look out for them and the unborn child.”

After weeks of debate, the Florida Legislature voted April 30 to place the Senate version of the proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 2 ballot. The progress of the amendment was monitored by Florida Baptists during the spring legislative session.

Bill Bunkley, legislative consultant for the Florida Baptist Convention, told Florida Baptist Witness he was pleased with the parental notification bill’s placement on the ballot. “Florida Baptists should remain prayerful, not only for a successful vote, but for all other aspects of the process leading up to a November vote, including the education of the public.”