(TheLibertyRevolution.com)- Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis indicated earlier this week that he would be open to signing legislation that would ban abortions in his state after a woman’s 15th week of pregnancy.
Earlier this week, GOP lawmakers in Florida introduced bills that would essentially ban all abortions in the state after 15 weeks of pregnancy. When they bills were introduced on Tuesday, it was the first day of the new legislative session.
The bills that were introduced would provide no exceptions for incest or rape, but they would allow an exception if the abortion was necessary to save the life of the mother. Exceptions would also be allowed if an abortion would prevent the mother from sustaining a serious injury, or if the fetus has an abnormality that is fatal.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, DeSantis said he believes this ban “makes a lot of sense,” though he stopped short of officially endorsing a bill. He said:
“There’s a lot of pro-life legislation. We’re going to be welcoming it. I haven’t looked at every single bill.
“I think if you look at what’s been done in some of these other states — I mean, when you start talking about 15 weeks where you have really serious pain and heartbreaks and all this stuff — having protections I think is something that makes a lot of sense.”
The timing of the remarks may have been strategic. DeSantis is up for re-election later this year, and he commented on the hot topic of abortion shortly after he delivered his annual State of the State address.
In that speech, he never called for stricter laws regarding abortion. He did, however, promote both foster care and adoption, requesting that the Florida legislature increase the funding available to foster parents.
As he explained:
“Protecting life does not end with the unborn. It must also include continued efforts to promote adoption and foster care so that all Floridians have a fair chance in life.”
Chris Sprowls, the Republican speaker of the state House, endorsed both of the bills that are being put forward. He said his party is “steadfast in our commitment to Florida’s children, both born and unborn.”
Democrats in the state, not surprisingly, plan to fight the bills as much as they can. They have limited power to do so, though, as they are the minority in both chambers of the state legislature, and the governor is staunchly Republican.
Still, the Democratic leader in the state Senate, Lauren Book, said:
“We will continue to fight vociferously for a woman’s right to choose and right to health care.”
There are a few ongoing challenges to national abortion rights that were prescribed under the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. The high court is currently considering a challenge to an abortion law in Mississippi that is similar to the one Florida Republicans are proposing.
So, in essence, the future viability of a Florida abortion ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy could be determined by the Supreme Court’s decision in that case, and other similar ones.
