A proposal that would prohibit doctors from performing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy is poised for consideration by the full Florida House.
The House Health & Human Services Committee on Thursday approved the measure (HB 5) in a 14-7 vote.
Dozens of people testified against the bill, which closely resembles a Mississippi law that is being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Democrats on the House panel argued the measure is unconstitutional.
“Once again, we’ll be passing unconstitutional legislation that will also cost Floridians more money and time while we have real serious issues,” Rep. Michele Rayner, D-St. Petersburg, said.
Emma Moses, testified to the committee, “I oppose HB-5, There’s nothing reasonable about this abortion ban. Consider, the lengths people will have to go to in order to access medical care if you deny it to them in their own state. We know that if this passes patients seeking an abortion would have to travel to North Carolina or even farther to get their medical needs met. This would make an incredibly difficult and in some cases impossible for poor and marginalized Floridians to access. That is who will bear the brunt of this harmful legislation and that is who you as our representatives have an obligation to protect. If you care about your constituents and their health, you will oppose this extremist bill and protect abortion in Florida.”
Florida Voice for the Unborn had a different opinion on the HB 5 vote today.
Executive Director of Florida Voice for the Unborn, Andrew Shirvell, said in a release on Thursday, “Florida Voice for the Unborn thanks the state House of Representatives’ Health and Human Services Committee for voting this morning to advance House Bill 5 for consideration by the full chamber. The committee members voted 14-to-7 in favor of this bill, which will save an estimated 5,000 unborn children from being murdered here in Florida via brutal late-term abortions. The vote was once again along party lines, with all pro-life Republican committee members in favor and all pro-abortion Democrats opposed.”
Florida Voice for the Unborn has proposed three amendments to House Bill 5, which they say will strengthen the legislation.
These proposed amendments are:
- Adding a provision that authorizes a political subdivision, such as a county or municipality, to regulate or prohibit abortion in a manner that is at least as stringent as state law;
- Replacing the terms ‘fetus’ and ‘fetal’ in the bill with the terms ‘unborn child’ and ‘unborn child’s’ in order to properly acknowledge the humanity of children in the womb.
- Removing the term ‘medical abortion’ from the bill and replacing it with the more commonly accepted term ‘chemical abortion,’ since chemicals – not medicines – are what are contained within abortion pills administered during the first trimester.
Shirvell added, “In comparison to the two prior hearings in the House last month, today’s hearing was rather calm and uneventful. In fact, most of the Democratic committee members appeared to be resigned to the fact that this good bill will be passed by the House – and there is very little they can do to derail the process at this point.”
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