Florida Senate approves six-week abortion ban

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Senate has approved a bill that would ban most abortions after six weeks into a pregnancy.

The proposed six-week ban would exempt victims of rape and incest for up to 15 weeks, but victims would have to file police reports, which opponents have argued could discourage some from seeking care at clinics.

“And so, again we’re forcing patients to have to go through additional hurdles to be seen,” said Kelly Flynn with A Woman’s Choice.

Flynn argued the proposed six-week ban would amount to a total ban, as most women don’t know they’re pregnant that early.

She also said the vast majority of abortion procedures provided by her clinic occur between five and 15 weeks into a pregnancy and nearly all of those would be prohibited.

“You know, we’re looking at another much larger issue with patients that will need to travel to another state, possibly North Carolina and patients that are gonna be forced their pregnancy to term,” said Flynn.

On the Senate floor, emotions boiled over from audience members as Republicans debated.

“People will die!” shouted one audience member during a debate with a Republican lawmaker.

The gallery was ordered emptied after continual interruptions.

In her close, Senate sponsor Erin Grall (R-Fort Pierce) argued the legislation aims to counter a ‘culture of death’ and claimed nearly one-third of pregnancies in Florida ended with an abortion last year.

“We’re so far from safe legal and rare. We have normalized and sterilized the taking of life as health care,” said Grall.

The bill passed nearly down party lines, with only two Republicans voting no.

It now heads to the full House where it’s also expected to pass.

Flynn now sees the State Supreme Court as the last hope to stop the new restrictions, as they’ll only take effect if the court upholds the state’s current 15-week ban.

“If we’re lucky then they’ll make the changes with the 15-week ban and then all of this can go away, but it’s looking pretty grim right now,” said Flynn.

That case isn’t expected to be heard until after lawmakers conclude their session in early May.

So, at least in the short term, the 15-week ban will remain the law of the land.

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