Following a state panel’s revision of the financial impact statement for a proposed abortion rights amendment, the 1st District Court of Appeal has requested legal arguments on whether the ongoing legal battle concerning the earlier version is now moot.
The Financial Impact Estimating Conference updated the statement on Monday, which will be included on the November ballot alongside Amendment 4, the proposed abortion amendment.
This revised statement reflects the estimated financial implications of the amendment on state revenues and the budget, particularly considering the Florida Supreme Court’s April ruling allowing a six-week abortion limit.
The legal dispute arose when Floridians Protecting Freedom, the political committee backing the amendment, sued in April, claiming that the initial November statement was obsolete after the Supreme Court’s decision. Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper sided with the committee, prompting the state to appeal to the 1st District Court of Appeal.
While the case was pending, legislative leaders directed the Financial Impact Estimating Conference to reconvene and revise the statement. The court has now requested filings from both the state and Floridians Protecting Freedom this week to address whether the updated statement renders the ongoing legal challenge irrelevant.
Amendment 4, if approved by voters in November, would prohibit laws restricting abortion before viability or when necessary for the patient’s health. The outcome of this legal dispute could impact how voters perceive the amendment’s financial consequences.
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