On March 3rd, Florida state legislators sent a controversial Republican-backed 15-week abortion bill to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R-FL) desk. Recently, Gov. DeSantis announced that he would sign it. In July, the measure will become the law of the land in Florida.
This bill (very similar to the controversial Mississippi abortion bill) makes it illegal to end pregnancies after 15 weeks. The ideological disagreements over this bill were nothing less than a catalyst for an emotionally charged debate on the house floor in mid-February.
When the debate was brought to the senate floor, Democrats intended to include an exemption to the bill for cases of rape and incest, it was shot down. The bill passed with a 23-15 vote.
President Biden (D), a self-proclaimed Catholic, said this the following day in response to the passage of the bill:
Last night, the Republican-controlled Florida legislature passed a dangerous bill that will severely restrict women’s access to reproductive health care. My Administration will not stand for the continued erosion of women’s constitutional rights.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 4, 2022
"Last night, the Republican-controlled Florida legislature passed a dangerous bill that will severely restrict women’s access to reproductive health care. My Administration will not stand for the continued erosion of women’s constitutional rights," stated President Biden.
The passing of this bill comes at a unique time in Florida and national politics. With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to decide on the previously mentioned Mississippi bill in the coming months, the Florida bill could very well be null and void before it really has time to take effect.
The influential Susan B. Anthony's List sent out a fundraising ask stating that they would be defending Gov. DeSantis after he signs the measure.
"But just as we defended Mississippi’s life-saving 15-week abortion ban all the way to the Supreme Court, SBA List will defend Governor DeSantis’ life-saving protection as well,"said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA
On the other hand, if the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Mississippi bill, it could embolden conservative law makers not only in sunshine state, but across the nation.
But one thing is for certain, it took the legislators of states like Mississippi and Florida to get the ball rolling.
