After Florida enacted one of the strictest abortion bans in the country earlier this week, lawmakers and advocates are decrying how it will disproportionately harm Black and brown Americans. The ban’s ultimate fate, however, lies in the hands of voters in November.
On Monday, the majority-conservative Florida Supreme Court voted to keep in place the state’s 15-week abortion ban that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law in 2022. The bill also triggered a six-week abortion ban that DeSantis signed last year to go into effect next month.
The abortion ban would forbid physicians from terminating pregnancies after six weeks of gestation. However, if the pregnancy is life-threatening, doctors can end the pregnancy to save an individual’s life. The ban does not apply to cases that involve fetal abnormalities, incest, or rape.
Lupe M. Rodríguez, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, told theGrio she is “outraged” by the court’s decision. She said the Florida government is putting “politics over health.”
“These bans really affect people of color, the LGBT community, folks who are disabled, and Latinas,” Rodríguez added.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that most individuals become aware of their pregnancy a little after 5 weeks of gestation. However, other factors could delay detection for weeks, such as mistimed pregnancies, income status, or lack of education.
Jennifer Driver, senior director of reproductive rights at State Innovation Exchange, where she leads the Reproductive Freedom Leadership Council, told theGrio that bans like the one in Florida reflect the actions of “far-right ideology” and ignore the desire of the people in the state.
In a separate decision on Monday, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that voters will have an opportunity to vote on a November ballot measure that could reverse the six-week abortion ban.
Amendment 4, or…
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