TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - A Florida Senator has filed a companion bill in the Florida Senate that, if passed, would make it illegal for women to get an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected.
The bill, titled SB 792, was filed by State Sen. Dennis Baxley on Wednesday. An identical bill, HB 235, was filed in the Florida House of Representatives by State Rep. Mike Hill last month.
The two bills would make it a felony for any person who “knowingly or purposefully performs or induces an abortion on a pregnant woman with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of the life of the unborn human being whose fetal heartbeat has been detected.”
“It’s time for us to face our history of the last 46 years and the 60 million faces of our offspring that we have extinguished,” Baxely said in a statement. “The heartbeat has always been the clear signal of the presence of life, and that life must be protected.”
Similar legislation was passed in Ohio in 2018. However, the law was vetoed by the governor. Baxely said he believes Florida will have a better chance.
“I think we have a great opportunity this year,” said Baxley. “Our new Governor, Ron DeSantis has expressed support for meaningful pro-life legislation, so I don’t think we’ll run in to the same issues that Ohio did.”
To read the full bill, click here.
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