TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — For the second time in as many weeks, Florida finds itself at the center of a controversy over a state-run web page.
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration published a page on its site that promotes the state's current abortion standard and comes out strongly against the upcoming vote on Amendment 4.
That amendment looks to codify the right to abortion in the state. The amendment was a response to the state of Florida enacting a six-week abortion ban earlier in 2024.
The page's top banner states, "Don't let the fearmongers lie to you" (emphasis from the state's graphic). From there, the site states what it calls "the truth" about different language in Amendment 4.
Near the bottom of the page, the site states, "We must keep Florida from becoming an abortion tourism destination state."
Florida Democrats said the web page may break state law by using state resources to endorse political positions.
According to the Florida statutes (Title IX, Chapter 104.31):
104.31 Political activities of state, county, and municipal officers and employees.—(1) No officer or employee of the state, or of any county or municipality thereof, except as hereinafter exempted from provisions hereof, shall:(a) Use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or a nomination of office or coercing or influencing another person’s vote or affecting the result thereof.
(b) Directly or indirectly coerce or attempt to coerce, command, or advise any other officer or employee to pay, lend, or contribute any part of his or her salary, or any money, or anything else of value to any party, committee, organization, agency, or person for political purposes. Nothing in this paragraph or in any county or municipal charter or ordinance shall prohibit an employee from suggesting to another employee in a noncoercive manner that he or she may voluntarily contribute to a fund which is administered by a party, committee, organization, agency, person, labor union or other employee organization for political purposes.
(c) Directly or indirectly coerce or attempt to coerce, command, and advise any such officer or employee as to where he or she might purchase commodities or to interfere in any other way with the personal right of said officer or employee.
Breaking that law is a first-degree misdemeanor. Sen. Minority Leader Lauren Book says party looking into “appropriate legal action."
“This anti-Amendment 4 website from AHCA is bull****," Florida Democrats said in a statement. "Ron and his buddies know they’re losing, and they’re willing to do anything — including breaking the law — to rig the results in their favor. Using state agency resources for campaign purposes is illegal, and we’re looking into any and all recourse to take this website down.”
In a statement, an AHCA spokesperson was not backing down from the web page's content.
“Part of the Agency’s mission is to provide information and transparency to Floridians on the quality of care they receive. Our new transparency page serves to educate Floridians on the state’s current abortion laws and provide information on a proposed policy change that would impact care across the state.”
The state of Florida recently made headlines after the Visit Florida tourism website removed a page promoting LGBTQ tourism in the Sunshine State.
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