| 1 | House Joint Resolution |
| 2 | A joint resolution proposing the creation of Section 28 of |
| 3 | Article I of the State Constitution to generally prohibit |
| 4 | public funding of abortions and prohibit the State |
| 5 | Constitution from being interpreted to create broader |
| 6 | rights to an abortion than those contained in the United |
| 7 | States Constitution. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
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| 11 | That the following creation of Section 28 of Article I of |
| 12 | the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to |
| 13 | the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next |
| 14 | general election or at an earlier special election specifically |
| 15 | authorized by law for that purpose: |
| 16 | ARTICLE I |
| 17 | DECLARATION OF RIGHTS |
| 18 | SECTION 28. Prohibition on public funding of abortions; |
| 19 | construction of abortion rights.- |
| 20 | (a) Public funds may not be expended for any abortion or |
| 21 | for health-benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion. |
| 22 | This subsection does not apply to: |
| 23 | (1) Expenditures required by federal law; |
| 24 | (2) An abortion that is necessary to save the life of the |
| 25 | mother; or |
| 26 | (3) Pregnancies that result from rape or incest. |
| 27 | (b) This constitution may not be interpreted to create |
| 28 | broader rights to an abortion than those contained in the United |
| 29 | States Constitution. |
| 30 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be |
| 31 | placed on the ballot: |
| 32 | CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT |
| 33 | ARTICLE I, SECTION 28 |
| 34 | PROHIBITION ON PUBLIC FUNDING OF ABORTIONS; CONSTRUCTION OF |
| 35 | ABORTION RIGHTS.-This proposed amendment provides that public |
| 36 | funds may not be expended for any abortion or for health- |
| 37 | benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion. This |
| 38 | prohibition does not apply to expenditures required by federal |
| 39 | law, an abortion that is necessary to save the life of the |
| 40 | mother, or cases of rape or incest. |
| 41 | This proposed amendment provides that the State |
| 42 | Constitution may not be interpreted to create broader rights to |
| 43 | an abortion than those contained in the United States |
| 44 | Constitution. With respect to abortion, this proposed amendment |
| 45 | overrules court decisions which conclude that the right of |
| 46 | privacy under Article I, Section 23 of the State Constitution is |
| 47 | broader in scope than that of the United States Constitution. |