Democrat lawmakers on Wednesday filed legislation that would repeal of Florida’s six-week abortion law that was enacted in May.
The bills (SB 870, HB 741), sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville, and House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, would allow abortion until viability, which in Florida is considered 22 to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Davis pointed to the 57% of Florida voters who voted for Amendment 4 in the November general election. The measure, which would have enshrined abortion rights in state constitution, failed because it fell short of the 60% needed to pass.
Driskell admits the bills face long odds to pass in the Republican-dominated Legislature so she will make an effort to reach across the aisle.
"I'll be honest, I understand vote counts, Democrats are in the minority, we don't have the numbers we need to pass this on our own, so we're inviting Republicans to have the conversation," she said.
However, Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, has said he has no interest in changing the law, and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, has said he is satisfied with the results of the November amendment vote.
Also, Gov. Ron DeSantis strongly campaigned against the amendment and launched a political fund chaired by James Uthmeier that raised more than $1 million to defeat the effort and another on recreational marijuana. Uthmeier was sworn in as attorney general on Monday.
Florida’s law, known as the Heartbeat Protection Act, prohibits abortions after six weeks of pregnancy except in cases of rape, incest or fatal fetal abnormalities, or if the pregnant person’s life is in danger.
Davis said the law prohibits safe, regulated abortions. Her version of the bill would restore abortion laws to their status before Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.
“Women are forced to bleed out, experience sepsis, to watch nonvital fetuses die, and to suffer consistently to uphold a bill written by men who will never go through this themselves,” Davis said Tuesday.
Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, agreed that some women are turning to what could be unsafe means to end pregnancies. If something goes wrong, she said, they may avoid emergency care for fear of prosecution.
“This is an unprecedented environment, but the reality is that if you wish to end your pregnancy, you will find a way to end your pregnancy, but you may be turning toward unsafe means to do so,” she said.
The legislative session starts March 4.
Michelle Corum writes for WJCT/Jacksonville Today. Health News Florida's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.
