The Student Government (SG) Senate unanimously passed a resolution in favor of Amendment 4, a ballot measure that protects abortion rights in Florida.

The resolution will be available online in an effort to show the SG Senate supports and encourages students to vote “yes” to Amendment 4, said Alexis Hobbs, SG St. Pete senator and the resolution’s writer. 

Twenty-seven SG senators voted in favor of the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting.

“This is an important issue that students need to go out to vote and speak their mind,” Hobbs said. “Any student from any background can see that this is important and needs to be passed.”

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If approved, Amendment 4 would make it a constitutional right in Florida to have an abortion before fetal viability, until around 24 weeks, or when necessary to protect someone’s health as determined by their healthcare provider.

For Amendment 4 to be approved at the state level, it must receive 60% of “yes” votes, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

Hobbs said the resolution isn’t an endorsement of any particular candidate or party by USF in the upcoming elections.

“The resolutions are non-binding,” Hobbs said. “They are not real statements from the actual university. They’re statements from [SG] Senate.”

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Hobbs, who wants to be a reproductive rights attorney, is the president of Planned Parenthood Generation Action USFSP. She said she has been petitioning for Amendment 4 for almost a year.

“This is really my space, what I love and what I care about, and talking to voters about it is also something that I enjoy as well,” Hobbs said. 

During Tuesday’s meeting, SG Senate members had a 20-minute Q&A session to ask Hobbs about possible impacts the resolution could bring to USF once approved.

Kaitlyn Rodriguez, SG Senate Programming Committee chair, questioned whether USF student organizations were contacted before the vote since approving the resolution could be deemed “controversial.” 

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SG Senate Relations Committee Chair Annabelle Folsom said she reached out to pro-life student organizations in an attempt to give them a say in the matter, but received no response. She said this caused the vote to be postponed for a week in hopes of a reply.

Despite not receiving a response, the SG senate still voted on the resolution a week before the election.

Laura Shaw, a St. Pete student and sponsor of the resolution, addressed concerns about possible retribution from the state. She said Gov. Ron DeSantis or the state cannot interfere with SG’s funding as punishment since it is funded by Activity and Service (A&S) fees.

A&S fees are paid by students in their tuition through a $12.18 fee per credit hour and a flat $7 fee, according to the university.

Hobbs said the movement to propose the resolution is statewide, and she worked with students writing resolutions at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and Florida State University (FSU).

FSU approved its Amendment 4 supporting resolution two weeks ago and UCF did so last week, she said.

Hobbs said access to safe and legal reproductive healthcare is a fundamental aspect of public health. 

“The Student Government will continue to advocate for the protection and expansion of the student body’s access to preventive rights at the local, state and national levels, ensuring that all students have access to the healthcare services they need,” Hobbs said.

Additional reporting by Clara Rokita Garcia.