The 6-week abortion ban in Florida has gone into effect, and Democrats are not happy about it. A joint statement from Representatives Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Sheila Cherfilus McCormick (D-FL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Federica Wilson (D-FL), and Lois Frankel (D-FL) condemned the law, calling it "draconian," "outrageous," and "tyranny."
Since its introduction last spring, the law has been controversial as it passed through the Florida Legislature. Last April, pro-abortion activists disrupted the House as they debated the bill, chanting against the bill and throwing leaflets on the House floor.
Nevertheless, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed the bill into law shortly after, which garnered criticism from former President Donald Trump in September, who called it "a terrible thing and a terrible mistake," despite also saying the states should decide abortion.
That same month of September, the Florida Supreme Court decided in favor of the constitutionality of the 6-week abortion ban. However, the Court decided in 1989 that abortion fell under Florida's right to privacy amendment in the State Constitution.
Despite ruling the 6-week ban as valid, the Supreme Court ruled at the beginning of this April that the law could be up for referendum in November after a successful lobbying campaign by pro-abortion activists.
The initiative's success was referenced in the statement by Florida's Democrats in Congress, who said, "This extreme ban not only hurts vulnerable Floridians, it threatens doctors and nurses and drives away residents from our great state. Floridians face a crisis under this tyranny, but they have an opportunity to make their voices heard come November. Our state must choose: Stand for the freedom of individuals to control their own bodies, or shamelessly trample on people's most personal medical decisions. Our fight for reproductive justice is unwavering. Until abortion access is guaranteed nationwide, our battle persists, not just in Florida, but across the nation."
