TAMPA, FL, October 17, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Backing efforts of local pro-life and religious liberty groups, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush announced his support this week for two pro-life Florida ballot initiatives, Amendments 6 and 8.
Amendment 6, sponsored by Citizens for Protecting Taxpayer and Parental Rights, seeks to change the law from simply requiring a notification of parents of minors obtaining abortions to requiring their consent.
Amendment 6 also seeks to cut public funding of abortions and health-benefits that include abortions, with exceptions for rape and incest or to save the life of the mother. Medical experts, however, have recently reaffirmed that such abortions are never medically necessary.
“Our tax dollars must continue to assist those in need such as disabled children and the frail elderly,” said Bush. “I encourage all Floridians to vote and vote ‘yes’ on 6.”
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The second amendment, Amendment 8, will preserve the right of religious organizations to access government funding for their social service programs if passed by Florida voters in November. According to the organization leading the Amendment 8 campaign, Citizens for Religious Freedom and Non-Discrimination, there is currently a pending legal case in Florida that puts all publicly-funded faith-based social service programs at risk.
The text of the amendment proposes, “that no individual or entity may be denied, on the basis of religious identity or belief, governmental benefits, funding, or other support, except as required by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution,” and to delete “the prohibition against using revenues from the public treasury directly or indirectly in aid of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid of any sectarian institution.”
“For decades, faith based organizations have provided Floridians with access to high-quality public services including medical care, housing, food, after school programs, and disaster relief,” said Bush about Amendment 8. “These are basic services that serve Floridians in a time a need.”