Governor Ron DeSantis backed a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which will be adopted by the Republican-dominated Florida legislature. He eventually signed the bill into law.
"Signed the Heartbeat Protection Act, which expands pro-life protections and devotes resources to help young mothers and families," he tweeted on Thursday, April 13. This comes at the same time as the reports of his anticipated bid for the presidency.
Notably, current Florida legislation, signed by DeSantis in April 2022, prohibits abortions beyond 15 weeks.
'Protecting Life'
In a report by The Guardian, a six-week ban would offer DeSantis a major political triumph among Republican primary voters as he prepares to start a presidential campaign based on his national reputation as a conservative standard bearer.
In light of the Supreme Court's decision last year to overrule Roe v. Wade and leave choices regarding abortion access to states, the policy would also have broader consequences for abortion access across the South.
Georgia prohibits abortions when heart activity can be discovered, which is usually about six weeks into a pregnancy. Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi have outlawed the operation at all stages of pregnancy.
Republican Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka, who introduced the legislation in the House, emphasized the significance of preserving life and ensuring that every child has the chance to be born and discover their purpose.
The existing 15-week prohibition in Florida is reportedly being challenged in court. If the case is successful, the conservative-controlled state supreme court will uphold the restriction, and the six-week limit will go into force.
Accused of Going Overboard
Florida's legislation has been slammed as excessive by Democrats and abortion-rights organizations since many women do not know they are pregnant until beyond six weeks.
There are exemptions in the law, such as one to help save the woman's life.
Fox News reported that up to the 15th week of pregnancy, women who are victims of rape or incest would be able to have an abortion with proper paperwork (like a restraining order or police report). The rape and incest prohibitions have been deemed reasonable by DeSantis.
The majority of abortions in the US are performed with medication, and the Florida bill would restrict their distribution to only doctors and medical facilities. Mifepristone's availability for use in abortion is also being challenged in court on a national scale.
Republican Representative Mike Beltran argued that the plan's exclusions and six-week timeline constituted a compromise. In an article by The New York Times, he stated, "For every person who thinks this goes too far, there are folks who feel that it doesn't go far enough."
Some members of the Republican Party's religious conservative base support abortion bans, while others have been swayed to vote Democratic because of it. In places like Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin, Republicans have recently lost elections where abortion access was a major issue.
