Saddened by yet another anniversary of the January 22, 1973, U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, the Catholic bishops of Florida remain steadfast in their commitment to promote the sanctity of life and dignity of the human person in state policy.

The bishops reflected upon 2016, noting that they supported the passage of legislation that requires abortion providers to have an agreement with a local hospital, as is required of other invasive office surgery providers. “We look forward to additional opportunities to strengthen protection of unborn babies, vulnerable women, and families. This includes addressing Florida’s privacy clause, which has been recognized by the courts as providing a greater right to abortion than the U.S. Constitution,” said the bishops.

This bishops also lament Florida’s status as one of the states having the highest rates of abortion in the nation. “As Florida maintains one of the highest rates of abortion in the nation, it is no surprise that our state also reports among the highest numbers of death sentences, human trafficking cases, and homeless persons,” note the bishops.

The full text of the bishops’ Statement on the 44th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade is available in English or Spanish.