This has been a busy day for speaking in public; however, as a citizen of FL and a pastor I feel constrained to speak up and speak out for the rights and liberties of my church family.  In addition to speaking before County Commissioners this morning, Sheilah and I were privileged to address the Florida Constitutional Revision Committee this evening (they are organized every 20 years to address citizens’ issues and concerns with the Florida State Constitution).

Sheilah and I requested that Article 1, Section 23, the “privacy act” originally voted into law by the citizens of Florida in 1979, be amended to state specifically the original intent of that article which was to protect informational privacy rights (your personal information).  Unfortunately, in 1989 a liberal Florida Supreme Court extended the privacy act to include a minor’s right to seek an abortion without parental consent; something that was never the intent of voters or the Florida Legislature.  The following was my statement before the Committee.

“I am here to request that this Florida Constitution Revision Commission right an obvious wrong and restore the original intent of the citizens of Florida by Amending Article 1, Section 23 to apply strictly to the rights of citizens to have their personal and financial information protected from the intrusion of government and businesses.

I have read the simple, original intent of Article 1, Section 23 and understand that FL voters and the legislature at that time were addressing informational privacy concerns in business and finance.

I am at a loss to understand how liberal activists judges on the Supreme Court in 1989 could take the original intent of Article 1, Section 23 and by some convoluted, twisted exercise in mental derangement mandate the right of minor children, many of whom are victims of rape and incest, to seek an abortion without parental consent.

The current interpretation of Article 1, Section 23 by the Supreme Court giving minors the right of abortion without parental consent not only preys upon the most vulnerable, but is also a frontal attack on the family and parental rights to nurture, guide and protect their children’s spiritual, mental, and physical well-being.

Realizing the FL Supreme Court has demonstrated a pattern of legislating from the bench and violating the fundamental principle that, “All political power is inherent in the people”; I am requesting that this Constitution Revision Commission state in exacting terms that the intent of Article 1, Section 23 is to protect informational privacy of FL citizens and does not confer a right to abortion.”

Copyright 2017 – Travis D. Smith