​ Amendment 4 FAQs
This is not to “impose our views” but to “make our proposal” about what is necessary for human flourishing in society. By insisting that every human being matters, we bring to public policy debates on issues of human dignity, justice and peace, an understanding of the human person that, while founded on the Christian Scriptures, is also accessible to human reason.
What is Amendment 4?
Amendment 4 is a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution that would essentially establish an unlimited right to abortion throughout pregnancy even when the heartbeat of
the preborn child is detected, when the preborn child can experience pain, and when the child is capable of living outside the womb. Amendment 4 will appear on the November 5,
2024, ballot and require approval from 60% of the electorate to pass.
Would abortion be illegal in Florida if Amendment 4 does not pass?
If Amendment 4 does not pass, abortion would still be legal in Florida until a baby's heartbeat can be detected. Current laws that protect the safety of women would remain in effect.
Doesn’t Amendment 4 simply restore Florida back to when Roe v. Wade was in effect?
​Amendment 4 goes dangerously beyond what was permitted in the Roe v. Wade ruling. It would eliminate important health and safety measures that protect women, remove parental consent for any minor seeking an abortion, and allow for abortion through the third trimester of pregnancy.
Aren’t late term abortions very rare?
Because they are currently not permitted by Florida law, they are extremely rare. There are exceptions in the law that allow late-term abortions to preserve the life of the mother or to avert serious risk of substantial, irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. If Amendment 4 passes, its broad loopholes would allow non-physicians to cite minor, treatable conditions to justify abortions, and there would be many more late-term abortions in Florida.
Will miscarriage care or ectopic pregnancy treatment be denied if Amendment 4 fails?
There is a fundamental difference between an elective abortion and the care provided after a miscarriage or for ectopic pregnancies. Amendment 4 will have no effect on the care a
pregnant woman receives in an emergency. Women can always receive necessary and timely lifesaving medical treatment, including in Catholic hospitals. No law restricts this care in Florida.
How is the Church helping pregnant
women in need?
The Catholic Church is committed to helping women in need during and after pregnancies. For decades, numerous Catholic social service agencies, in collaboration with faith-based and secular organizations, have assisted pregnant women in need with material resources and personal accompaniment during pregnancy and after their child is born.
What is the Church doing to
defeat Amendment 4?
Each diocese in Florida is working together, through the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, to help Catholics understand the dangers of Amendment 4 to women, their children and their families. The Church supports the Florida Voters Against Extremism coalition to educate voters on how Amendment 4 is harmful for Floridians.
What can I do to help defeat Amendment 4?
1. VOTE "NO" on Amendment 4
2. EDUCATE YOURSELF and TELL OTHERS about the dangers of Amendment 4
3. PRAY & Fast
More Information about Amendment 4
