Abortion

A lawsuit against five people who allegedly violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Fort Myers in 2022 will be dropped, lawyers representing the anti-abortion protestors confirmed Friday.Three of the five are among 23 convicted anti-abortion proponents who were pardoned by President Donald Trump Thursday.The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE ACT, prohibits using force, threats of force or physical obstruction against any person because they are seeking or providing reproductive health services.On Friday, President Trump issued an order for the Department of Justice limiting enforcement of the FACE Act. The order means those FACE Act prosecutions still on the legal docket — such as the Fort Myers case — will be dismissed.

Telehealth providers say requests for the pills have spiked since the election. Patients and doctors worry what a Trump presidency could mean for medical abortion and emergency contraception.

Tuesday’s election marks an historic red wave here in Florida from the Presidential race to constitutional amendment proposals, down to local political contests. WGCU Southwest Florida in Focus host Sandra Viktorova provides some post-election analysis in a conversation with FGCU political scientist Dr. Sandra Pavekla and WGCU host/reporter John Davis.

Florida voters rejected adding abortion rights to their state constitution Tuesday, keeping a ban on abortion after the first six weeks of pregnancy in place.

The former president was asked twice after casting his ballot in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday about a question that the state’s voters are considering to overturn a ban on abortion after six weeks. The first time he was asked, Trump avoided answering, saying instead of the issue that he did “a great job bringing it back to the states.” Pressed a second time, Trump snapped at a reporter saying “you should stop talking about it.”

At Sunday Masses across Florida, Catholic priests have taken some time this election season to diverge from their typical homilies to try to convince parishioners to vote no on Amendment 4.

The Leon County judge rejected an injunction request by the sponsor of the ballot measure and wrote it is not for the courts to intervene and "decide what the people will be permitted to consider."

State police are showing up at Florida voters’ homes to question them about signing a petition to get an abortion rights amendment on the ballot in November, and a state health care agency has launched a website targeting the ballot initiative with politically charged language.Critics say they’re the latest efforts by Florida’s Republican elected officials to leverage state resources to try to block the abortion rights measure, moves which some Democratic officials argue could violate state laws against voter intimidation.

Local governments are in Florida are weighing in on the statewide abortion amendment ahead of the election

Governments across Florida are passing non-biding resolutions regarding abortion amendment that are patently false.