This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at USFSP chapter.

As the national landscape for reproductive rights shifts, Florida finds itself at pivotal crossroads with the introduction of an initiative aimed at securing the right to abortion in the state constitution. This initiative, known as Florida Amendment 4, the Right to Abortion, is set to appear on the ballot in the upcoming election on Nov. 5, 2024, as an initiated constitutional amendment.

Through the introduction of this constitutional amendment, advocates aim to solidify reproductive rights in a way that protects them against potential future restrictions, such as state-level bans on abortion, mandatory waiting periods, and limitations on access to contraceptive methods. This effort comes in direct response to growing concerns regarding the legislative changes that have sought to limit access to abortion, making the amendment a vital component of Florida’s ongoing battle for reproductive justice.

Florida Amendment 4

Florida Amendment 4 is a proposed amendment to the Florida State Constitution that will be put to a vote during the referendum on Nov. 5, 2024. This amendment strives to ensure that the Florida Legislature cannot restrict abortion prior to fetal viability, effectively safeguarding access to reproductive healthcare. It would nullify existing statutes, such as the Heartbeat Protection Act, which impose stricter limits on abortion access. A 60% supermajority vote is required for the amendment to be approved.

Status of abortion in Florida

On Jun. 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a landmark ruling that was established in 1973 which offered federal abortion protections. The United States Supreme Court declared that the constitutional right to abortion, upheld for nearly a half century, no longer exists, and access to the procedure now varies from state to state.

Prior to 2022, abortions were permitted in Florida until 24 weeks. In 2023, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis passed the Heartbeat Protection Act, which prohibits abortions once the unborn has a detectible heartbeat and forbids abortions after six weeks. This six-week ban was set to go into effect on May 1, 2024. On Apr. 1, 2024, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the constitutional right to privacy does not encompass the right to abortion, reversing a 1989 ruling that had determined the privacy clause did include such a right.

Interview with Laura Shaw, an Amendment 4 Advocate

To better understand the impact and implications of current attempts at restrictive legislation on women in Florida, I had the privilege of speaking with Laura Shaw, a reproductive rights advocate and senior at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg who is leading a charge for the right to abortion initiative. Her insights have shed light on the multifaceted challenges women will face in accessing reproductive health care amid increasingly stringent laws. By engaging with Laura, I gained an even deeper appreciation for the intersection of legislative action and personal autonomy, as well as the psychological toll these restrictions can impose on women who are navigating their reproductive choices.

Background and motivation

Her Campus: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what motivated you to advocate for Florida’s Amendment 4?

Laura Shaw: Hi, my name is Laura Shaw. I am a senior at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus earning a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in mass communications. I have been politically involved for a while now because I was taught the importance of politics from a very young age and started volunteering when I was probably 12. My mom immigrated to the U.S. from Ireland when she was just 18; she has always taught me the importance of civic engagement and being an active participant in our democracy. One of the most important topics that she taught me to value was reproductive rights and I have been passionate about restoring women’s rights in the state of Florida since the pivotal Dobbs decision in 2022.

HC: How did you first become involved in the abortion rights movement?

Laura Shaw: I first became directly involved in the abortion rights movement in Florida when I was a communications intern for Progress Florida in the Fall of 2023. Floridians for Reproductive Freedom, the campaign I was working for, led the movement to collect enough petitions to get Amendment 4 on the ballot this year! I created social media content for the campaign but a large portion of what I did was volunteering at community events and on-campus to collect signatures.

HC: How has your involvement in this initiative impacted your perspective on reproductive rights and activism?

Laura Shaw: Seeing the real-life impacts of the deadly laws passed after the fall of Roe v. Wade is terrible. Listening to stories from women such as Anya Cook, a woman in Florida whose water broke when she was 16 weeks pregnant but was denied an abortion and told to come back when her condition worsened. Anya ended up miscarrying in a bathroom, “when I reached the hospital, I lost nearly half the blood in my body.” Stories such as these make me even more passionate about fighting for the right to make decisions about my body.

Understanding of Amendment 4

HC: What does Amendment 4 mean for Florida’s abortion laws, and why do you believe it is important?

Laura Shaw: The exact language of Amendment 4 AKA the Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion is “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s healthcare provider.”

Currently in Florida we have a 6-week abortion ban that has no real exceptions for rape or incest and exceptions for the life of the mother that require her to be almost actively dying before doctors can interfere. Not only is 6 weeks too extreme in general considering that many women are not aware they are pregnant at that time, in order to receive an exception for rape or incest you must provide documentation such as a restraining order or police report. Most rapes are not reported to the police and even if they are, finalization of police reports can take months, passing the 15-week window the law allows for exceptions. In summary, although the law does technically have exceptions, in practice they are not actually exceptions. I believe that Amendment 4 is important because people in the state of Florida deserve the right to make their own healthcare decisions without interference from the government.

HC: How do you think Amendment 4 addresses the concerns of Florida residents regarding reproductive rights?

Laura Shaw: Amendment 4 takes the power of the government to decide whether or not you have an abortion and puts it back into the hands of the individual and their healthcare provider. People in this state should not live in constant fear that they may fall pregnant and not be able to do something about it. As a young woman in Florida, I wake up every day in fear that if I were to become pregnant with a child, that I am unprepared to take care of physically, financially, and mentally but I would be forced to anyways; and that’s not fair.

Advocacy and campaign efforts

HC: What is the Yes on 4 Campaign?

Laura Shaw: Yes on 4 is a statewide campaign across Florida mobilizing voters to vote “Yes” on Amendment 4 and enshrine reproductive rights into the state constitution. The campaign is comprised of a highly organized group of advocates doing everything we possibly can to get this amendment passed with teams such as Field, Youth Outreach, Communications, Finance etc.

HC: What work have you done as an advocate for this initiative?

Laura Shaw: Within the Yes on 4 campaign, I am a Youth Fellow specifically assigned to USF! The fellowship program has students from 9 colleges across the state mobilizing their campuses. As a fellow, I am tasked with educating the University of South Florida students on Amendment 4, building support, and then encouraging students to get out and vote! Together, myself and my counterpart Alexis Hobbs organize events on USF Tampa and St. Petersburg that we think would be informational and fun for students to build support for the amendment.

HC: How have you mobilized support among your peers and the wider community?

Laura Shaw: Throughout the campaign we have formed partnerships with local advocacy groups to mobilize support and maximize the saturation of our message! We have amazing volunteers from the League of Women Voters St. Petersburg who have even provided us with extra resources. Additionally, we have an amazing partnership with Planned Parenthood Generation Action USFSP.

HC: What challenges have you faced while campaigning for Amendment 4?

Laura Shaw: Unfortunately, we have faced many challenges with administration organizing on the Tampa campus. USF has recently updated their events policies which make it almost impossible to do any political organizing without an association with a registered student organization. Luckily for Yes On 4 we have the support of Planned Parenthood Generation Action. We have had volunteers and fellows report that they have felt harassed by administration and UPD and allegedly an administrator even told one of our volunteers “I do not like you.” Additionally, the state of Florida just authorized $15.6 million taxpayer money to go into attack ads and misinformation regarding Amendment 3 (which is the legalization of recreational marijuana use) and 4. However, I would be naïve to say I did not expect this to be challenging, everything political is and this is an especially divisive issue.

HC: How do you respond to opposition or misconceptions about the initiative?

Laura Shaw: The only thing we can do is keep pushing the truth and our message. There has been lots of misinformation surrounding Amendment 4 and we specifically develop messaging to combat that. The misinformation about Amendment 4 includes stating that the amendment would take away parental notification, which it does not, and that it authorizes abortions up until the ninth month of pregnancy, which it also does not. The amendment specifically states that it would keep parental notification for minors and that it authorizes abortion up until fetal viability, which is determined on a case-by-case basis because each pregnancy is different and complications around pregnancy.

Engaging Others

HC: What advice would you give to other students who want to get involved in advocacy for reproductive rights?

Laura Shaw: Do it! Although it may seem intimidating and it is definitely not for the faint of heart, political organizing is incredibly fulfilling. We need all hands on deck, there are so many amazing opportunities to become involved with the campaign that can be found at yeson4florida.org.

HC: How can individuals who may not be directly affected by this issue support the initiative?

Laura Shaw: The best thing that you can do to support reproductive rights is to vote Yes On 4! If you are not eligible to vote in the state of Florida, tell your friends, tell your family, post about it on your social media, and most importantly volunteer with us!

HC: What are some resources people can utilize to become more educated and/or advocate for Amendment 4?

Laura Shaw: Go to our website YesOn4Florida to find out more information on the ballot initiative, hear testimonies from women who have been affected by Florida’s dangerous 6-week ban and see endorsements from doctors and other experts. You can also find our mobilize dashboard to see all the events happening across the state of Florida!

But the absolute most important thing you can do is VOTE! Not only should you vote, but make sure that all of your friends are voting, and they know how they can vote! If you are registered in the state of Florida, you can update your address or check the status of your registration up until election day using RegisterToVoteFlorida. This year, we are highly recommending that folks vote early. Early voting in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties is until Nov. 3!

Closing Thoughts

HC: Is there anything else you would like to share about your advocacy work or the importance of Amendment 4?

Laura Shaw: Vote, vote, vote, vote, vote. I understand that there is a lot of voter apathy amongst young people, and I want you to know that I understand, I know it feels like there is nothing you can do about it, but your local elections matter so much. Even if you do not want to vote for president vote for congress, vote for the state legislature, vote for school board. All of those people make decisions every day that affect your life. Your vote matters. You matter.

If you see me on campus or social media, feel free to ask me any questions about elections and voting!

Reflections on Advocacy: Insights from Our Conversation

In conclusion, my conversation with Laura Shaw truly highlighted the urgent need for awareness and advocacy surrounding reproductive rights, particularly in the context of Florida’s restrictive legislation.

Laura’s dedication to empowering young women at the forefront of this grassroots movement and her insights into the challenges they face underscore the importance of community support and activism in this ongoing struggle. As the landscape of reproductive health continues to evolve, it is crucial for all of us to listen to and amplify the voices of advocates like Laura, who are working towards protecting and advancing access to safe and legal abortion.

Thank you so much to Laura for speaking with me and sharing your thoughts! Her perspective truly has shown the ongoing nature of the fight for reproductive rights, reminding us that this is not just a singular battle but a continuous journey.

The fight for reproductive rights is far from over and every voice does matter in shaping a more equitable future.

FLORIDA AMENDMENT 4, THE RIGHT TO ABORTION INITIATIVE: AN INTERVIEW WITH LAURA SHAW