First modification:
Florida Joins List of States Banning Abortion Completely or Nearly Completely After Ron v. Wade Overturned Abortion Decision in America: Tallahassee Elected Officials Voted to Ban Abortions After Six weeks of pregnancy, that is, when most women do not yet know they are pregnant. The bill now heads to Governor Ron DeSantis’ desk.
With RFI Miami correspondent David Thomson
Democrats have dubbed it the “forced pregnancy law.” At six weeks, more than 80% of women still do not know they are pregnant. With this law, when they know it, most women in Florida will no longer be able to choose to have an abortion.
“Let’s be clear: You are taking away women’s right to choose,” Democratic Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said during congressional debates in Tallahassee. Kiyan Michael, a Jacksonville Republican, responded: “Women have the right to choose before they have sex, not after.”
A refuge until today
Florida’s conservative majority voted 70 to 40 in favor of the law, which reduces the legal term for an abortion from 15 to six weeks, with the only exceptions being cases of rape or incest, provided proper proof is provided. Police report or medical certificate.
“This law jeopardizes abortion access throughout the American South,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said. Since the Supreme Court struck down the federal right to abortion in June, Florida had become a safe haven in the South, where almost all states now ban abortion.
This law was supported by Governor Ron DeSantis, who must now sign it. It should allow him to pose as a champion of right-wing values to the conservative base when he runs in the Republican primary against Donald Trump.
