The state senate voted in favor of greater restrictions on abortion after approving last year to make abortion illegal after 15 weeks gestation, today they approved the bill that would l banned after 6 weeks, now Florida is just steps away from joining the states with the strongest anti-abortion laws.
We are standing in the immediate vicinity of an office of the Planned Parenthood group which is closely following the vote in Tallahassee which today fell from 26 to 13 almost entirely along party lines, except for two Republicans who voted against the proposal with the Democratic minority.
It was a heated debate before approving Florida’s abortion ban after six weeks pregnant
“For too long, abortion has been accepted by some as any other form of medical care, when in reality it destroys a life,” said Republican Senator Ana María Rodríguez.
He was interrupted by shouts of protest among members of the public
“If they take away our right to choose, they take away our security,” a young woman shouted.
Those who interrupted were ordered to leave the Senate Chamber.
“I believe women deserve better than abortion and better than a culture that fails to consider the value and dignity of human life from the start,” Republican Senator Alexis Calatayud said.
He was also interrupted by shouts from the audience.
After several interruptions, the President of the Senate ordered everyone present to leave.
Surprising to some, Senator Calatayud explained that she would vote against the bill, not because she was in favor of abortion, but because she had promised her constituents during the election campaign that she would continue to support the ban at 15 weeks.
Erin Gall, Republican State Senator
“There will be tens of thousands of babies saved because of the passage of this law in Florida,” said the bill’s sponsor in the Senate, Republican Erin Gall.
And debated when life begins
“When do you die, when the heart, the heartbeat stops and when you start life, it’s not when you’re born, it’s when your heart starts beating,” Rodríguez said. .
Democrats have argued that the bill ignores the lives of mothers, that many women don’t even know they are pregnant at six weeks, and that there are cases of pregnancies where the life of the mother mother may be in danger for health reasons or even cases of domestic violence.
This new proposal includes exceptions in cases of rape or incest, but evidence such as a police report must be presented.
The House of Representatives will vote in the coming days while the 15-week ban is challenged in Florida Supreme Court, so the Supreme Court will have the final say.