TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Bills aimed at further restricting abortion access in Florida have been filed in both the House and Senate on the first official day of the legislative session
The bills dropped just minutes before Governor Ron DeSantis took the podium to deliver his state of the state address.
In that address, the Governor gave only one nod to the abortion issue.
“We are proud to be pro-life in the State of Florida,” said DeSantis.
The newly filed bills would take the state’s current 15-week ban down to a six-week ban, with exceptions for rape and incest before the 15-week mark.
“That exemption is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt at Republicans to feel better about themselves at night,” said Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D-Plantation).
Senator Book was joined by House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa) in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
The Democratic leaders decried the effort to further restrict abortion access.
“That’s before many women even know that they are pregnant. It is effectively an outright ban,” said Driskell.
In a press conference after the State of the State address, Governor DeSantis said he believed the exemptions in the bill were “sensible”.
“I think the issue is less the week than the fact that there’s a detectable heartbeat,” said DeSantis.
The Governor went on the point out that if the bill passes it would only take effect if the Florida Supreme Court were to rule in favor of the state’s existing 15-week ban.
The new restrictions would take effect 30 days after such a ruling.
With the backing of the Governor and legislative leaders, Democrats will have to hope that doesn’t happen or that public blowback kills the bills.
“We really need the public’s outcry to help us right now and frankly for the public to help themselves,” said Driskell.
The Florida Supreme Court isn’t expected to rule on the existing 15-week ban until after the legislative session wraps up.
That means the future of abortion in the state of Florida will remain uncertain whether or not this bill passes, at least for the time being.
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