For Immediate Release: January 13, 2026
President Julie Kent, Florida NOW, president@flnow.org
Orlando, FL — Just over a year ago, 57 percent of Florida voters cast their ballots in support of a constitutional amendment that would have overturned the state’s near-total abortion ban and protected reproductive freedom. Despite winning a clear majority, the amendment fell just short of the 60 percent supermajority required — after Governor Ron DeSantis spent nearly $40 million in taxpayer funds campaigning against it.
Today, Florida women are living with the consequences of that narrow loss.
As early as this week, the Florida House of Representatives is poised to pass legislation that would grant fertilized eggs and embryos some of the same legal rights as living children (SB 164, HB 289). This is part of a long-term strategy to establish fetal personhood — a legal theory designed to eliminate abortion access under any circumstance.
“Lawmakers are attempting to rewrite science, medicine, and constitutional rights to control women’s bodies,” said Julie Kent, President FL NOW. “This is an assault on personal freedom.”
Even if the personhood bills stall in the Senate, a wave of additional anti‑abortion legislation is already moving:
- $100,000 bounties on doctors, helpers, or anyone who assists a woman in obtaining abortion medication by mail (HB 663, SB 1374)
- Expansion of the abortion ban to include fetal‑reduction procedures used in IVF (HB 993, SB 1044)
- New restrictions on surrogacy and assisted reproduction, threatening access to IVF for thousands of Florida families (HB 1487, SB 1680)
- Bills blocking teens from accessing birth control or STI treatment without parental approval (SB 166, HB 173)
- Legislation making it harder for schools to teach safe sex and HIV prevention, while forcing them to show anti‑abortion propaganda cartoons (HB 1071, SB 1090)
“These bills are not isolated,” said Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW stated. “They are part of a coordinated, extremist agenda to strip away reproductive freedom, undermine bodily autonomy, and impose government control over the most personal decisions a person can make.”
FL NOW calls on lawmakers to:
- Reject all personhood legislation
- Oppose bounty-style enforcement schemes targeting doctors and women
- Protect IVF, surrogacy, and reproductive technologies
- Ensure teens have access to essential health care
- Keep medically accurate, evidence-based sex education in Florida schools
“Florida voters have already made their values clear,” said Debbie Deland, VP FL NOW. “Most Floridians support reproductive freedom. It’s time for lawmakers to listen — not launch a legislative crusade against women.”
Media Contact: Debbie Deland, 407 234-6408, vp@flnow.org
