Topline
Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed into law a bill banning abortions after 15 weeks without exceptions for rape, incest or human trafficking, just days after Oklahoma enacted a near-total ban on abortions that made performing the procedure a felony.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gives a briefing.
Key Facts
Speaking ahead of a bill-signing ceremony at a church in Kissimmee, Florida on Thursday, DeSantis said the legislation was a “statement to our values that every life is important.”
The Florida governor claimed the legislation, known as House Bill 5, which only allows for exceptions in the case of medical emergencies, would “defend those who can’t defend themselves” and prevent “infanticide.”
The move comes a month after Florida lawmakers passed the legislation, which is set to take effect July 1.
What To Watch For
Whether a court blocks the Florida law before the Supreme Court issues a ruling on whether to uphold a similar 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi. A decision on that case is expected in early June or July. Mississippi has asked the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, to use the case to overturn Roe v. Wade so that its abortion ban can go into effect in August. If the court rules in favor of Mississippi, the decision would allow states to enact similar abortion bans, which are currently considered unconstitutional. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida on Thursday promised to take “swift legal action” to challenge the Florida law.
Key Background
The Florida bill is one of a series of abortion bans proposed by GOP-led state legislatures ahead of the Supreme Court ruling. According to a pro-abortion rights research group, the Guttmacher Institute, near-total abortion bans have been introduced in 30 states this year. Florida law previously allowed for abortions up to 24 weeks into pregnancy. The 15-week abortion ban comes just days after Oklahama’s GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt signed SB 612 into law, which prohibits all abortions except in the case of medical emergencies and makes performing an abortion a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prision and a $100,000 fine.
Chief Critic
“Make no mistake: If this abortion ban goes into effect, it would have devastating consequences for pregnant people, especially those who are not able to afford to travel out of state in search of the essential health care they need. Nobody should be forced to carry a pregnancy against their will,” Kara Gross, the legislative director and senior policy counsel at the ACLU of Florida said in a statement.
Further Reading
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs 15-week abortion ban into law (Axios)
What’s happening with abortion legislation in America’s states (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/madelinehalpert/2022/04/14/desantis-signs-15-week-abortion-ban-into-law-in-florida/