Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed a 6-week abortion ban through a new bill.
Bills have been proposed by Florida's Republican-led legislature that would forbid abortions after six weeks of pregnancy but would make exceptions for victims of rape and incest.
However, those seeking these exceptions would be required to provide official documentation proving that they were victims of the crime.
Florida's proposed 6-week abortion ban
According to NBC, under current Florida law, abortion is prohibited after 15 weeks of pregnancy except in cases where the mother's life is in danger or if the fetus has fatal abnormalities, but it doesn't allow exceptions for rape or incest.
The proposed SB 300 bill intends to restrict abortion even further by prohibiting it at six weeks of pregnancy, often before people realize they are pregnant.
Under the new bill, individuals who got pregnant due to rape or incest can have an abortion until the 15th week of pregnancy, but they must provide proof of their victimization, such as a restraining order, police report, medical record, or other court order or documentation, which can be challenging to obtain.
Additionally, the new bill includes exceptions to save the mother's life and for fetuses with fatal abnormalities before the third trimester, but the latter requires certification from two doctors in writing.
The bill also aims to prevent government entities and educational institutions from using public funds to support people who want to travel outside the state for an abortion.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has expressed his support for the proposed 6-week ban, saying that Florida is pro-family and pro-life during his state of the state speech in Tallahassee.
According to Reuters, before this bill, DeSantis signed a 15-week ban in April that reduced the time frame when abortions were legal in the state to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
However, following the Supreme Court's decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade, DeSantis has promised to expand pro-life protections.
He recently indicated that he would sign the six-week ban into law if it were presented to him.
Read Also: Walgreens Responds to Republican Attorneys General, Will Not Dispose of Abortion Pills in 20 States
Abortion in Florida with SB 300
Democrats, including White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre, heavily criticized the proposed abortion ban in Florida.
According to Jean-Pierre, millions of women in both Florida and neighboring states with stricter abortion laws rely on Florida as a place where they can access abortions.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, patients from all over the U.S. Southeast have been traveling to Florida to end their pregnancies.
More than a dozen states have already implemented abortion bans since the ruling. In 2022, the number of out-of-state abortion patients in Florida increased by 38 percent compared to the previous year, according to Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration data.
Politico reported that if approved, Florida would join six other states, including Iowa, Georgia, North Dakota, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Oklahoma, that have already passed 6-week abortion bans.
Additionally, the proposed bill allocates up to $30 million for the Florida Department of Health to create a statewide parenting support network. This network would expand state-funded services to support pregnant people who give birth within a year.
However, the measure also includes a provision prohibiting doctors from using telehealth services to consult with patients about treatment with abortion medications.
