CLEARWATER, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis slammed Amendment 4 on Tuesday, which is slated to be on the ballot next week for Florida voters.
DeSantis has been a strong advocate against the proposed amendment. Over the last month, he has actively campaigned against Amendment 4, which would expand abortion access up to the point of viability and repeal the state's current six-week ban.
At his past few news conferences, the Republican governor has brought up a group of doctors to stand behind him as he criticized the measure and to give their opinions on why they are unsupportive of Amendment 4.
DeSantis said the amendment is vague and deceptive. He said it contains no restrictions on abortion, although the point of viability is generally at 24 weeks.
"What they mean, and this will likely be something they sue over, they would mean elected abortions on demand for no reason, whatsoever through 26 weeks. So 6 months, you can have an unborn child, fully formed, beating heart who can feel pain and be aborted," he said at the news conference.
Supporters of the amendment say abortion access needs to be expanded for longer than six weeks because many women discover they are pregnant between weeks four through seven, according to the American Pregnancy Association.
A main concern for DeSantis is that the amendment will get rid of parental consent for minors who want to get an abortion.
The summary language of the amendment mentions parental notification and not consent. Since it says "no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict," DeSantis said this will allow doctors to perform abortions on children without their parents knowing.
However, Florida’s Constitution explicitly states notification must happen before a minor has an abortion.
"They can't perform a medical procedure on your child without your consent, but abortion would be exempted from that. They'll send you a postcard, a text message or something," he said.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Tony Dungy was also at the news conference to support the governor. Dungy oversees The Dungy Family Foundation, which according to its website, works with Christian organizations and pregnancy care centers in Florida, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Indiana.
He echoed DeSantis' comments and said the amendment has vague language, and he also expressed his pro-life values.
"I happen to believe that these babies in the wombs are lives. I know everyone doesn't believe that, but I happen to believe it. My bible tells me they are," he said. "My wife Lauren and I have 8 adopted children in our home right now."
Dungey said while it's important to protect mothers, it's important to protect children as well.
DeSantis has become to face of the campaign against the abortion measure. Last week at his news conference in Miami, he spoke out with doctors against the initiative.
Lieutenant Governor Jeanette M. Nunez also spoke out against the initiative and said her stance came from a religious perspective.
"We cannot go to church and pray like Christians and turn around and vote like atheists,” she said at the conference.
Last month, DeSantis gave shout-outs to Florida Republicans who opposed the amendment and put the ones who had not on the spot at a state dinner party, according to the New York Times.