State economists struggle to put a price tag on proposed constitutional amendment on abortion

State economists appear skeptical that they will be able to put a price tag on a proposed constitutional amendment to protect abortion access by November, if the measure makes it to the 2024 ballot.

The quartet of state economists, serving on the Financial Impact Estimation Conference (FIEC), said the Supreme Court was unlikely to rule on the abortion ban of 15 weeks by the state adopted in 2022 before the November deadline. And If the court upheld the 15-week ban before the deadline, a new 2023 law banning abortions after six weeks would take effect 30 days later. It will also likely lead to legal challenges.

Given this, the economists are leaning toward developing a financial statement explaining why they were unable to accept the proposed amendment, a position they are allowed to take but which the group is trying to ‘avoid, said the Bureau of Economic and Demographic Research and chief economist. Amy baker.

We try not to default. We try to do everything possible to get a number. But this one appears to have a number of permutations that will make it a challenge, Baker said.

The FIEC is expected to meet two more times before the November 22 deadline. During these meetings, FIEC will work on what is called a long form which is a review of all the information that economists looked at in their financial review of the proposed amendment.

Legal obstacles are not the only challenges, however.

Assessing the financial impact of the proposed constitutional amendment is also proving difficult, as economists have no economic understanding of the impact of the 15-week abortion ban that came into force on the economy of the ‘State.

Senate Economist Azhar Khan said that even if they were able to agree on a price, one of the biggest factors driving this would be what happens outside of Florida. And it’s not static either.

There were 74,868 abortions in Florida in 2020, according to state data. More than 74% of abortions performed in Florida that year occurred before 6 weeks. Nearly 16% of them were carried out between seven and nine weeks of gestation.

Nearly 4,000 abortions were performed on women living outside Florida. The majority (65.7%) of these women came from Georgia and Alabama, where abortion laws are more restrictive.

The number of abortions in 2022 increased to 82,581, as did the number of women (6,726) coming from out of state seeking an abortion.

Meanwhile, FIEC heard public testimony Thursday from supporters and opponents, as well as presentations from economists who specialize in studying the state’s education, health and social services, and criminal justice programs .

Floridians Protect Liberty (FPF) is the commission working to put access to abortion on the ballot in 2024. Kara Grosslegislative director and senior policy advisor for the Florida chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, testified on behalf of the proposed amendment. The FIEC also heard Katie GlennDanielpolitical director of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which opposes the proposed amendment.

This will not be the first time that FIEC has failed to obtain a proposed amendment. The economists in 2019 could not agree on the impact of Medicaid expansion to low-income childless adults under the Federal Health Insurance Act. But the proposed constitutional amendment was never voted on. The FIEC was also unable to quantify a proposal to modify the public service this was also not retained in the ballot.

The Florida Supreme Court will review the proposed constitutional amendment to protect abortion to ensure it meets legal requirements. Attorney General Ashley Moody East ask the court to reject the proposal.

Post Views: 0