Florida abortion rights measure gets enough signatures to go before voters ( www.reuters.com )

A state constitutional amendment that would protect abortion access in Florida has received enough signatures of support to appear on ballots in the November election, but a challenge by the state's attorney general could still block it.

The measure would ban laws that "prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health, as determined by the patient's healthcare provider." Abortions are currently illegal after 15 weeks in Florida.

The measure had received 911,086 signatures as of midday Friday, nearly 20,000 more than the number required to go before voters, according to the state elections division.

Florida is among several states where reproductive rights groups have been gathering signatures to place similar referendums on the ballot in November, when the presidential contest will headline national elections.

Constitutional amendments in Florida must pass with at least 60% of the vote, a greater portion than any statewide abortion measure has yet won.