FL Supreme Court frustrates hopes for rulings on abortion-rights, recreational cannabis amendments [View all]

Suspense over the future of the proposed abortion-rights state constitutional amendment deepened Thursday when the Florida Supreme Court let the day pass without ruling on whether the measure can appear on the November ballot.

The same applies to a separate proposed amendment to allow adult use of cannabis. The rulings were highly anticipated on the day of the week when the court typically releases written opinions, but the court’s press office issued a notice at 11 a.m.: “There are no Florida Supreme Court opinions ready for release today, March 28, 2024.”

The Florida Constitution gives the court a deadline of April 1 to rule on whether any citizens’ initiative meet the requirements for that November’s ballot placement — Monday. The court will be closed on Friday in observance of Good Friday.

“We can expect an out of calendar opinion release,” Democratic House member Anna Eskamani of Orange County wrote on X — meaning all bets are off in terms of timing.

The text of the abortion amendment says: “Limiting government interference with abortion. — Except as provided in Article X, Section 22, 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.”


https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/03/28/fl-supreme-court-frustrates-hopes-for-rulings-on-abortion-rights-recreational-cannabis-amendments/