Courtesy: CBS Miami
In a recent press release, Florida’s House and Senate Democrats have introduced legislation aiming to repeal the state’s six-week abortion ban, a law they argue is harming women and limiting doctors’ ability to provide necessary medical care.
Despite their status as a super minority in the Legislature, Democrats filed Senate Bill 870 and House Bill 741, despite the challenges that may come.
The Democrats emphasized that a majority of Florida voters supported enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution through Amendment 4 during the 2024 general election. The ballot measure sought to allow abortions up to approximately 24 weeks of pregnancy and received 57% of the vote. However, it fell short of the 60% threshold required for ratification.
Florida’s current six-week abortion ban, officially titled the “Heartbeat Protection Act” (SB 300), was passed in 2023 following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The law took effect in May 2024 after the Florida Supreme Court upheld the state’s previous 15-week abortion ban (HB 5).
The six-week restriction includes exceptions for cases of rape, incest, human trafficking and fatal fetal abnormalities, as well as instances where the mother is at risk of severe injury or death. However, for victims of rape, incest or human trafficking to qualify for an abortion up to 15 weeks, they must provide documentation such as a police report or medical records.
Democratic leaders argue that the law has created confusion among patients and medical professionals.
“The six-week abortion ban is causing confusion; it’s causing harm to women,” said House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, who is sponsoring the repeal in the House. “It’s causing doctors to not be able to practice as they were trained to do, and it’s absolutely resulting in unhealthy outcomes for Florida’s families.”
During a virtual press conference discussing their repeal effort, Democrats also raised concerns about a lack of transparency regarding abortion and maternal mortality data in the state.
Representative Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, pointed out that Florida’s maternal mortality review committee had not released a report in several years, even before the six-week abortion ban went into effect.
Since abortion is a sticky topic across the country, it poses a question if this appeal is even possible.
Republican leaders have already opposed the repeal, making it unlikely to gain traction in the Legislature. With a Republican super-majority in the Florida Legislature and similar trends across the country, reinstating broader abortion rights remains a daunting challenge.
However, Democrats see their legislation as an opportunity to push for further debate.
“This is an issue that has always transcended party lines, despite the attitude of the Legislature,” Eskamani said.
Senator Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville, is sponsoring the Senate version of the repeal bill, emphasizing the importance of fostering discussion.
“We hope this invites the GOP to have this very important conversation,” Davis said.
While the House bill was initially withdrawn before its formal introduction, lawmakers expect it to be refiled in alignment with Davis’ Senate measure.
As the debate over abortion access continues in Florida, Democratic legislators say they remain committed to advocating for reproductive rights, even in the face of staunch Republican resistance.