Tallahassee, FL - The newest abortion ban has made its way through the Florida legislature, but Democrats are still not happy with the 15 week time limit on the bill. Yesterday Speaker Chris Sprowls (R-66) grilled the press over "baiting him," on abortion questions.
In a press conference held on the House floor, Speaker Sprowls spoke to a number of issues concerning this legislative session and Floridians.
"You all always ask that question. You all being the press, the royalty. The royal ask that question because it's a hot topic, it is certainly an emotional topic, but it is also your way of baiting us,"said Speaker Sprowls. "What you don't do is ask the people who oppose that bill, 'is it okay to have an abortion right before birth?'"
Sprowls elaborated on the Press Corps in Tallahassee, claiming that questions such as these, "indicates the bias of the individuals asking the question."
Spreaker Sprowls stayed consistent in his responses to the press' "what if," scenarios by saying, "It is 3 months long," implying that 15 weeks is more than enough time to sort these out situations out.
The Texas Heartbeat Bill fell under heavy scrutiny for imposing a 6 week limit, which resulted in the issue going to the Supreme Court. Florida Republican legislators feel that 15 weeks is rather generous and reasonable.
Some groups, such as Florida Voice for the Unborn, think the abortion legislation actually needs more work. Early on in the process the Christian group suggested crucial changes to the language of the bill, in hopes to alter the definition of when life actually begins.
"...adding a provision that authorizes a political subdivision, such as a county or a municipality, to regulate or prohibit abortion in a manner that is at least as stringent as state law; 2) replacing the terms 'fetus' and 'fetal' in the bill with the terms 'unborn child' and 'unborn child's in order to properly acknowledge the humanity of children in the womb; and 3) removing the term 'medical abortion' from the bill and replacing it with the more commonly accepted term 'chemical abortion,' since chemicals - not medicines - are what are contained within abortion pills administered during the first trimester," said Executive Director Andrew Shirvell of Florida Voice for the Unborn.
