Florida Supreme Court Questions Fetal Personhood in Abortion Ballot Initiative

During a hearing at the Florida Supreme Court regarding a proposed ballot initiative to protect abortion rights up to viability, the Chief Justice raised the question of whether unborn children qualify as "unborn persons" under the 14th Amendment of the Florida State Constitution. This line of questioning hinted at a possible future challenge based on fetal personhood, a concept that considers embryos and fetuses as individuals entitled to full legal rights. The conservative-leaning court appeared to be hostile toward the amendment, and the Chief Justice's questioning suggested a potential avenue for striking down the initiative. Additionally, Florida has a higher threshold for passing ballot initiatives, requiring a 60% majority, which poses a challenge for proponents of the amendment, despite polling showing 62% support.