Under Baxley bill, voters consider ban on state funding for abortions

Come November 2012, Florida voters will have an opportunity to enshrine a ban on public funding for abortion in the state Constitution.

Although at first glance the amendment proposed by state Rep. Dennis Baxley could be seen as a cost-cutting maneuver, the pre-election advertising costs could run far more than what the state has spent on actual abortions over the past three years.

But in an interview Monday, the Ocala Republican indicated that the value of giving voters a voice on a “foundational” value is worth more than dollars and cents — a stance that has some abortion rights activists concerned.

Earlier this month, Baxley announced that his measure (HJR 1179) was likely the “most significant legislation” of his time in the Florida House.

One reason he gave was that the amendment would permit Floridians to vote on ending public funding of abortions — even though legal barriers to tapping public coffers to pay for the procedure have existed for more than three decades.

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