On Thursday afternoon, lawmakers in the Florida House passed the Heartbeat Protection Act with 70 votes in favor of the bill and 40 votes against it.
Unlike the 15-week abortion ban that Florida passed last year, this new ban would allow for exceptions like rape, incest and human trafficking. However, in order to access such an exemption, a woman would have to prove that to doctors by providing a restraining order, police report or medical record, for example.
As is usual when the question of abortion is being debated, this one was no less contentious than any other. For nearly eight hours on Thursday, emotions ran high as the bill was voted on and both sides tried to prevail.
“Today, we stand for life,” said state Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, who sponsored the House’s sister version of the bill. “We stand with mothers. And we stand with Florida families. And by your vote today, we change the culture of abortion to a culture of life.”
State Rep. David Borrero agreed with her and voted in support of the bill.
“How is it that a human can be dismembered in its most vulnerable position without any due process of law? That’s what abortion is. It is dismemberment of an innocent human child,” Borrero said.
The opponents had an equally cogent argument: “There are people in this state right now who don’t even know that they are pregnant,” state Rep. Rita Harris said. “This is a death sentence for them.”
State Rep. Robin Bartleman agreed, stating, “No one belongs in that room but me, my husband, my God and my doctor. I love you all. Not one of you have a right to make a decision for me”.
Orlando Democrat state Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, who also used to work for Planned Parenthood called the passage devastating.
Some underlined the inefficacy of abortion bans in general and the perils that they represent for women. “Abortion bans do not actually stop abortion and when it comes to situations of wanted pregnancies, it can also lead to individuals getting more sick before they can actually access care to save their lives,” Eskamani said.
Michele Herzog, the director of Pro-Life Action Ministries in Central Florida, has been in this fight against abortions for more than three decades.
“I go back to last June when Roe v. Wade was overturned which was just a monumental day in history,” Herzog said about Thursday’s vote. “For myself and for so many others that have been in this battle for the lives of the unborn we see this as a human and civil rights issue.”
For now, it remains unclear when the six-week abortion ban would go into effect because the Florida Supreme Court is still weighing in on the 15-week abortion ban that the state passed last year.
After signing the six-week abortion ban Thursday, DeSantis released this statement: “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.”
