Ron DeSantis quietly signs 6-week abortion ban into Florida law – National

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed laws that would ban most abortions following 6 weeks in the point out of Florida.

The ban involves exemptions for cases of rape, human trafficking and incest, in those people scenarios enabling an abortion up to 15 weeks of being pregnant. Under the laws, a pregnant person would have to deliver a restraining get, law enforcement report, clinical record or other evidence to qualify.

Existing 15-7 days exemptions bordering the existence and well being of the mom have been not adjusted.

The governor’s place of work verified the laws — named the Heartbeat Security Act — had been signed in a assertion unveiled Thursday evening.

DeSantis experienced formerly vowed to pass the controversial legislation via Florida’s Republican-dominated legislature, irrespective of the 6-7 days abortion ban staying unpopular in community polling of each Republican and Democratic bash supporters.

The 6-7 days ban can only be enacted in Florida if the state’s recent 15-7 days ban is upheld in Florida’s Supreme Courtroom. DeSantis signed the legislation for the 15-7 days abortion ban past yr, however the state’s Supreme Court docket has not still manufactured a ruling on the proposal. Prepared Parenthood, among other professional-choice groups, filed a lawsuit to overturn the legislation.

Opponents of the new legislation have argued that a lot of women are not even knowledgeable they are pregnant by the 6-week benchmark.

“We are happy to assist existence and loved ones in the point out of Florida,” DeSantis explained in the push launch. “I applaud the Legislature for passing the Heartbeat Protection Act that expands pro-daily life protections and delivers extra resources for young mothers and families.”

Democrats and professional-preference teams have criticized Florida’s proposal as intense.

“This ban would reduce 4 million Florida ladies of reproductive age from accessing abortion care right after six weeks — ahead of numerous females even know they are pregnant,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre explained in a assertion issued after Thursday’s vote. “This ban would also effects the nearly 15 million females of reproductive age who stay in abortion-banning states throughout the South, lots of of whom have earlier relied on journey to Florida as an choice to access care.”

Underneath the new laws, prescription drugs made use of in treatment-induced abortions — which make up the greater part of people supplied nationally — could be dispensed only in particular person or by a health practitioner below the proposed Florida regulation.

Considering the fact that the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Florida has observed an inflow of guests coming from out of the state to obtain an abortion, as per information from Florida’s Agency for Health and fitness Treatment Administration. Before the U.S. Supreme Court docket dominated there was no constitutional correct to an abortion, Florida carried out 3,988 out-of-point out abortions in 2020. In 2022, that amount grew to 6,708.

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Signing the ban is noticed as a acquire for DeSantis and may perhaps receive him favour among Republican key voters as he prepares a considerably-anticipated bid for presidential candidacy. If he operates, DeSantis is envisioned to announce his bid for the GOP nomination in Could or June.

The invoice handed on a 70-40 vote. Only two of the 28 Republicans in the Florida Senate voted towards the six-7 days abortion ban.

— With information from The Connected Press

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