As this year’s election approaches, Amendment 6 is still a heated debate.
According to the Say Yes On 6 campaign and writers of Amendment 6, the amendment was introduced to restore parental rights and protect taxpayers from funding abortions.
“It makes no sense that parents have to sign permission slips for field trips, or to take an aspirin, or to get tattooed, pierced,” said Deborah Shearer, Say Yes On 6 county field director. She continues, “The same law should be applied to minors getting an abortion. If there are any complications during the abortion, a parent should at least know what is going on, it’s a liability issue”.
Florida law already requires a parent to be notified 48 hours before performing the procedure on a minor. Former Governor Jeb Bush signed the law known as the Parental Notification law, SB 1908, in May 2005.
According to Lisa Murano, Deputy Campaign Manager for the Vote No On 6 campaign, requiring parental consent would endanger the safety of some teens, especially in families with sexual or physical abuse.
“Some parents might force a teen to carry a pregnancy against her will. And desperate teens do desperate things, like attempting to end a pregnancy themselves or even suicide. We need to keep our most vulnerable teens safe,” said Murano.
Amendment 6 also claims to addresses so-called taxpayer funding for abortions, despite the 1976 Hyde Amendment which limits funding to cases of rape, incest or life endangerment. In other words, taxpayer funding of abortion does not exist.
Shearer stated that this Amendment is not about denying rights, but seeing that taxpayer money doesn’t go towards something they don’t support.
“Its not right to put money towards something objectable, against my values and faith, and I think we have that right to voice our opinions,” said Shearer.
The Say Yes On 6 campaign is encouraging voters to vote yes to align Florida state law with existing federal law prohibiting public funds for abortion under the Hyde Amendment, extending to health care coverage that would include abortions.
According to Murano, this amendment is not about aligning state and federal law, but about politicians interfering with a woman’s right to make personal decisions with her doctor, her family and her faith.
“Let’s say what this amendment would really do and that is to take health care coverage away from the people we rely on every day like teachers, nurses, police officers and firefighters. Is that the way we want to express our appreciation for these pillars of our community? I don’t think so,” said Murano.
