Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill banning abortions in the state after the sixth week of pregnancy.
The
law, which was approved by state lawmakers on Thursday, will only take
effect if the Florida Supreme Court decides to uphold a current 15-week
abortion ban that has been challenged in court.
- The bill allows some exceptions, notably in instances where an abortion could save a woman's life.
- It
also extends the period to 15 weeks for pregnancies involving rape or
incest if the woman seeking an abortion provides documentation like a
restraining order or a police report.
- It restricts access to the abortion drug Mifepristone by only allowing it to be dispensed in person or by a physician.
- A Democratic state senator and the chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party were both arrested after participating in a protest against the abortion ban bill in front of the Tallahassee City Hall earlier this month.
- At least 12 other states have approved bans on abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy.
- DeSantis
is expected to officially join the race for the 2024 Republican
presidential nomination after the Florida legislative session ends in
May.
