“Women have been stripped of their rights and access to lifesaving healthcare,” warned one Democratic lawmaker. “Women will undoubtedly die. This is not freedom.”
By Brett Wilkins. Published 4-13-2023 by Common Dreams
EDITOR‘S NOTE: The bill was signed last evening.
Reproductive rights defenders on Thursday braced for a near-total abortion ban in Florida as Republican state lawmakers sent legislation outlawing the medical procedure after six weeks to governor and likely GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis‘ desk for his all-but-certain signature.
S.B. 300 passed in the Florida House of Representatives by a 70-40 vote largely along party lines after approval by the GOP-controlled Senate earlier this month. If signed into law as anticipated, the legislation will replace an existing 2022 Florida law prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with a six-week ban containing exceptions for victims of rape, incest, or human trafficking; in cases of fatal fetal abnormalities; or to save the pregnant person’s life.
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