Florida Court Blocks Teen's Abortion Access on Account of Her Maturity

While Progressive Democrats believe that there is an attack on abortion access in Florida, so-called restrictive abortion laws are now taking effect after a Florida court blocked a teenage girl from getting an abortion.

Under Florida law, a healthcare provider cannot provide an abortion to a minor unless they receive written consent from a parent or a legal guardian. Exceptions are allowed if the provider believes there is a medical emergency at hand.  In this case, the 16-year-old mother argued she is simply, "not ready," to have a baby, citing her still being in school and having no support from the father.

Minors are allowed to petition the court with a judicial waiver to bypass parental consent.  A court must then find the minor to be, "sufficiently mature," to allow the abortion process to proceed.  However, this Florida appellate court decided to block this teen's abortion access, citing her maturity.

In 2004 Florida voters voted on and approved a Florida constitutional amendment that allowed for the Florida Legislature to pass a law requiring that parents or guardians be notified before minors have abortion procedures. The Florida legislature in 2020 passed a measure that required consent.

The court decision seems to be one of a long list of anecdotes that have occurred since the Supreme Court of the United States overturned landmark case, Roe v. Wade.

Florida currently has a 15-week cap on abortion access, but with how increasingly conservative the Florida legislature has become, there could likely be more restrictions in the near future.