TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - A controversial anti-abortion bill appears poised to become the law of the land in Florida.
This bill continued its fast track to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk, passing committee Thursday. It can now go up for a vote on the house floor.
DeSantis already signaled he will sign it into law if it clears the legislature.
“We present to you a bill that prohibits abortions after 15 weeks, counted from the first day of the last menstrual period,” said Rep. Erin Grall (R), District 54.
Florida’s 15-week abortion ban is one step closer to becoming law.
The bill passed the State House Health and Human Services Committee on a party-line vote, Thursday morning.
The legislation, known as House Bill 5, bans abortion if a doctor finds the gestational age of the fetus is more than 15 weeks.
Exceptions are allowed if the woman’s life is considered to be in danger or if the fetus is considered to have a “fatal fetal abnormality.”
“Abortion is not a political decision. If you truly care about the physical and mental well-being of children, you should focus on the ones who have already been born,” said a speaker of the Florida House Committee, who is against the bill.
There is no exception for cases of rape or incest. A separate senate version is slowly making its way through that chamber.
It passed the committee on health policy last week but still has at least one more committee to get through.
“It is important to strengthen and increase protections for women and all children, including unborn children, whose humanity and dignity are so often denied,” said a speaker of the Florida House Committee, who is for the bill.
Abortion in Florida is legal up to 24 weeks into gestation and allowed after that only if it threatens a woman’s life and physical health.
“As a registered nurse, I’ve seen babies this young born, and I’ve seen their humanity, and so I ask you to please respect that,” said another speaker of the Florida House Committee, who is for the bill.
The abortion bill under consideration follows legislation filed in September that was nearly identical to Texas’ restrictive abortion bill that would make the procedure illegal after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is usually around six weeks.
For many women, it’s before they know they’re even pregnant.
“I’m trying to find new ways to beg you to hear my pleas. Protect my right to choose. Let’s not forget the essence of why we’re here today. It’s a woman’s constitutional right to seek out an abortion without placing an undue burden upon her,” said another speaker of the Florida House Committee, who is against the bill.
It also comes as other states have passed laws taking aim at Roe v. Wade.
“It’s an important pro-life legislation that we’re seeing in this bill, and I disagree with some of my colleagues that actually, if this bill becomes law, I want to see Florida join Mississippi in the Dobbs decision to allow the U.S. Supreme Court to readdress, in my view, the arbitrary viability standard in Roe,” said Rep. Will Robinson Jr. (R), District 71.
“As this bill stands, this bill is unconstitutional,” said Rep. Michele K. Rayner (D), District 70.
One of those states, Texas, has the most restrictive abortion law created in the U.S. in decades.
It was announced Thursday, that abortions there fell by 60 percent in the first month under that law.
The U.S. Supreme Court has signaled a willingness to weaken or reverse the landmark Roe v. Wade precedent in a ruling that is expected later this year.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.