TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a invoice to ban abortions after six weeks of being pregnant, giving the Republican a significant conservative coverage victory as he prepares to launch an anticipated presidential candidacy.
DeSantis signed the measure late Thursday evening in a personal ceremony with out fanfare, hours after the Republican-dominated statehouse authorized the invoice.
The regulation will take impact provided that the state’s present 15-week ban is upheld in an ongoing authorized problem that’s earlier than the state Supreme Court, which is managed by conservatives.
For DeSantis, the late evening, closed door invoice signing was a departure from his regular bombastic model and indicators the troublesome political line he’s strolling on abortion politics forward of his anticipated White House run. Restrictions, widespread amongst some conservative GOP major voters, are seen as doubtlessly damaging among the many broader citizens and have led to bruising losses on the poll field for Republicans in current months.
“We are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida. I applaud the Legislature for passing the Heartbeat Protection Act that expands pro-life protections and provides additional resources for young mothers and families,” DeSantis mentioned in an announcement.
A six-week ban would diminish the Florida’s standing as vacation spot for the process in a area that has severely tightened entry after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi have banned abortion in any respect phases of being pregnant, whereas Georgia forbids the process after cardiac exercise will be detected, which is round six weeks.
“This ban would prevent four million Florida women of reproductive age from accessing abortion care after six weeks – before many women even know they’re pregnant,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned in an announcement issued after the invoice handed the Legislature. “This ban would also impact the nearly 15 million women of reproductive age who live in abortion-banning states throughout the South, many of whom have previously relied on travel to Florida as an option to access care.”
The regulation incorporates some exceptions, together with to save lots of the girl’s life. Abortions for pregnancies involving rape or incest can be allowed till 15 weeks of being pregnant, supplied a lady has documentation equivalent to a restraining order or police report. DeSantis has known as the rape and incest provisions smart.
Drugs utilized in medication-induced abortions – which make up the vast majority of these supplied nationally – may very well be distributed solely in individual or by a doctor underneath the Florida regulation. Separately, nationwide entry to the abortion capsule mifepristone is being challenged in courtroom.
DeSantis, who has rocketed to Republican stardom by his give attention to divisive cultural points, had been uncharacteristically tepid in his assist for the six-week ban, usually solely saying, “We welcome pro-life legislation,” when requested concerning the measure. Last 12 months, DeSantis signed a 15-week abortion ban in a big public ceremony at an evangelical church.
The governor is anticipated to announce his presidential candidacy after the session ends in May, together with his potential White House run partly buoyed by the conservative insurance policies authorized by the Republican supermajority within the statehouse this 12 months.
“DeSantis signed the extremist 6-week abortion ban into law just before 12 am, hoping Floridians won’t notice he stripped away a right most people agree with,” House Democratic Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell mentioned on Twitter. “If we don’t want FL’s present to become America’s future, we must stop him in ’24.”
Abortion bans are widespread amongst some spiritual conservatives who’re a part of the GOP voting base, however the concern has motivated many others to vote for Democrats. Republicans have not too long ago misplaced in elections centered on abortion entry in states equivalent to Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin.
“Ron DeSantis, continues to put his political ambitions over the rights and well being of Floridians. He’s not looking out for their best interests – he’s thinking only of himself and his future presidential campaign. Make no mistake: this dangerous decision will backfire and harm the very people he is supposed to protect,” Jenny Lawson, the manager director of Planned Parenthood Votes, mentioned in an announcement.
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