A 2015 law requiring women to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion after an initial visit may finally go into effect as early as March 31.
The law has been tied up in the courts ever since it was first passed and signed into law by then-Governor Rick Scott.
Abortion rights advocates we spoke with told us they’re fearful the law will have devastating consequences for women.
They have some precedent to make that claim because they saw firsthand the effect of this law when it briefly took effect back in 2016 before it was blocked by the courts.
State Representative Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) was working for a Planned Parenthood affiliate during that time.
“It was just horrifyingly bad. We had patients crying in the parking lot because of this law, they were basically being told that a decision they had thought long and hard about would have to be delayed for no reason but politics,” said Eskamani.
Now, after being tied up in litigation for seven years, a circuit court judge has indicated she intends to allow the law to go into effect once again.
Andrew Shirvell, with Florida Voice for the Unborn, explained the goal of the law has always been to give women a little more time to think through their decision.
“It provides some more time to reflect on this like I said, life-altering decision,” said Shirvell.
But attorney Julia Kaye, who has led the ACLU’s legal battle against the law, told us in practice, the law often delays abortions by more than 24 hours.
“This is going to be multiple days or in many cases weeks until patients can get back for that second visit,” said Kaye.
Considering Governor Ron DeSantis is likely to soon sign into law a bill banning most abortions after 15-weeks of pregnancy, Kaye argues the 24-hour delay becomes even more burdensome.
“At the same time as the state is pushing patients later into pregnancy, they are cutting off access at 15 weeks,” said Kaye.
But Shirvell argued all of the latest developments on abortion rights are a sign the tides are changing.
“Governor DeSantis to give him a lot of credit, he’s really moved the needle in terms of the judicial climate,” said Shirvell.
Also at play is a case under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to determine the constitutionality of Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban.
If upheld, a challenge to a ban here in Florida would likely have to go through the state courts, which have become more conservative-leaning throughout the past decade.
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