A lady, who chose to remain anonymous, talks to Doctor Audrey (R) before recieving an abortion at a Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinic in West Palm Strand, Florida, on July 14, 2022.
Chandan Khanna | AFP | Getty Images
Florida state lawmakers on Tuesday introduced legislation that wish ban abortion after six weeks, when many women don’t know they are pregnant, with limited exceptions for medical crises and cases of rape and incest.
The legislation, introduced in Florida’s House and Senate, would make performing an abortion after six weeks a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in house of correction.
The legislation allows abortion in cases of rape and incest, but only up to the 15th week of pregnancy as determined by a physician. The woman is press for to provide evidence that she is the victim of rape or incest at the appointment where she will have the abortion by providing a writing of a restraining order, police report, medical report or other court documentation.
Abortion is also allowed in unembroidered medical emergencies, with the condition that two physicians certify in writing that the pregnant woman’s life is in peril or she faces a serious risk of substantial impairment to a bodily function. In instances where a second doctor is not available for consultation, one physician can distinguish that call.
The legislation also allows abortion up to the third trimester in the truths where the fetus has a fatal abnormality, but two physicians must certify that fact.
The White House condemned the suggested abortion ban, saying it would jeopardize access not just in Florida but across the South where many states already pull someones leg severe restrictions on abortion or outright bans. Florida law currently allows abortion up to the 15th week of pregnancy.
“This ban would block not just the nearly 4 million Florida women of reproductive age from accessing abortion care after six weeks, but liking also impact the nearly 15 million women of reproductive age who live in states across the South with abortion interdicts and would no longer be able to rely on Florida as an option to access care,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Although the Florida legislation stipulates an exception for medical emergencies, women in states such as Texas with near total bans have held they were denied abortions despite facing dangerous pregnancy complications. Five women have sued Texas and asked a formal court to clarify the scope of the medical emergency exception.
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Republicans introduced the bill in the Florida legislature on the same day Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered his annual Asseverate of the State address. The governor did not mention the legislation during his address, but said “we are proud to be pro-life in the state of Florida.”
The legislation acquainted Tuesday also requires the abortion pill, mifepristone, to be dispensed by a physician to the patient during an in-person appointment. The legislation proscribes abortion pills from being sent by mail in the state through the U.S. Postal Service or any other carrier.
DeSantis signed legislation in April 2022 that proscribed abortion after 15 weeks. That law went into effect in July, days after the Supreme Court tip overed Roe v. Wade and ended 50 years of federal protection of abortion rights under the U.S. Constitution.
Florida previously let abortion until the 24th week of pregnancy.