Florida state legislature passes six-week abortion ban
Misty Severi
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Both houses of the Florida Legislature have passed a ban on abortions after a six weeks of pregnancy, and the bill is heading to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who is expected to sign it into law.
The move, undertaken by a Republican controlled legislature on Thursday, makes the state’s abortion restrictions some of the most severe in the country. There are exceptions for rape, incest, and human trafficking as long as the pregnancy has not progressed past 15 weeks.
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The new ban, which comes nearly a year after the Supreme Court sent the topic of abortion back to the states by overturning Roe v. Wade, is not surprising for the recently far-right state. However, Florida was considered a swing state prior to DeSantis’s election. It was also previously known as a safe haven in the deep south for women considering abortions.
The move was met by protests in the House chambers viewing gallery, which prompted a call to clear protesters. Demonstrators also gathered outside the chamber, chanting “Hands off our bodies!”
The bill is the latest in a series of right-leaning legislation that has been passed by conservative lawmakers in the past month. Both houses have also passed laws allowing people to carry concealed weapons without a permit, and state senators have passed a bill banning medication and surgery for children seeking gender transitions. They also passed a different law that prohibits children from attending drag shows.
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DeSantis, who is a likely contender for the Republican nomination for president in 2024, has gained traction as a conservative powerhouse after winning reelection during the midterm elections in 2022 by nearly 20 percentage points. Republicans in the state also saw powerful victories in local and state elections.
Florida is the latest state to ban abortion. Thirteen other states have at least partially banned the procedure.