[MAJOR UPDATE: DESANTIS SIGNS HEARTBEAT LAW] — Florida legislature passes excellent six week abortion ban and here’s the DETAILS

by The Right Scoop

MAJOR UPDATE: DeSantis didn’t waste any time. He signed the heartbeat bill into law:

It’ll probably be challenged in the courts beginning tomorrow but thanks to Hobbs a lawsuit should easily fail. But not quickly, of that I am sure.

 

– – – – – ORIGINAL STORY BELOW – – – – –

 

The Florida legislature just passed a ban on abortions after six weeks which is before most women even know they are pregnant.

The bill will go to the desk of Governor DeSantis and he is expected to sign it, which would be fantastic.

Here’s more about the ban from ABC News. It’s actually a really good writeup on what the law allows and doesn’t allow:

The ban would prohibit all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, before most women know they are pregnant. The ban makes exceptions for when the woman’s life or health is at risk and cases of rape or incest, under certain conditions. Even with its current ban in place, Florida has fewer restrictions compared to nearby states.

The bill passed by a vote of 70 to 40. It passed in the Senate last week.

There are four conditions in which physicians can provide abortions under the ban.

To provide abortion care under the law’s exceptions, two physicians would have to certify in writing that the termination of the pregnancy is necessary to save the woman’s life or avert a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman, according to the law. This does not including psychological conditions.

If two physicians are not available, one physician would have to certify in writing that there is a medical necessity for the legitimate emergency medical procedure to save the pregnant woman’s life or avert irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function and certify another physician is not available for consultation, the law states.

Abortions will also be permitted in cases where the pregnancy has not progressed to the third trimester and two physicians certify in writing that the fetus has a fatal fetal abnormality, according to the law.

The fourth condition according to the law in which physicians can provide abortions is if the pregnancy is as a result of rape or incest and the gestational age of the fetus is not more than 15 weeks, as determined by a physician. At the time the woman schedules or arrives for her abortion appointment, she must provide a copy of a restraining order, police report, medical record or other court order or documentation proving that she is a victim of rape or incest.

Physicians will be required to report incidents of rape or incest in minors to the central abuse hotline, according to the law.

Only physicians will be allowed to provide abortion services.

Anyone who performs or actively participates in an abortion outside these rules commits a felony of the third degree. If the abortion results in the death of the woman, the crime becomes a second-degree felony.

Abortion pills must also be disbursed in person by physicians, prohibiting abortions over telehealth visits and prohibiting the delivery of abortion pills by mail. Physicians must also be physically present in the same room as the woman when the termination of pregnancy is performed or when dispensing abortion pills.

I’m sure some the governor’s many opponents will be happy he signs this because they believe it will work against him from people in his state or nationally.

But the truth is abortion bans are not always bad for Republicans like Democrats think. Here’s a Newsweek article claiming that it will help DeSantis becomes president:

AG Hamilton (formerly AG Conservative) said, with respect to Kemp, the same is true for DeWine in Ohio:

I don’t like the rape and incest exceptions because a life is a life is a life. But with that said, I do appreciate that Florida legislators are making it difficult to get an abortion under these circumstances, ensuring the rape or incest victim has to prove it legally. They can’t just say ‘I was raped’ and get an abortion.

And the same is true with respect to the life of the mother being threatened. Physicians can’t just pretend a woman’s life is threatened as an excuse to perform and abortion.

I’ll let you know when DeSantis signs this bill into law. It will hopefully make abortions rare in the state of Florida.


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