Florida House to take up bill prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks

The Florida House is slated Tuesday to take up a proposal that would prohibit doctors from performing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

House members are scheduled to consider the abortion measure (HB 5) and the House’s proposed 2022-2023 budget during a floor session.

The House Health & Human Services Committee on Thursday voted 14-7 to approve the abortion bill, which is sponsored by Rep. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, and Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers. Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled support for the bill.

If it becomes law, it will likely be challenged.

The proposal, one of the most controversial issues in this year’s legislative session, is similar to a Mississippi law that is being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court.

A Senate version of the bill (SB 146) needs approval from the Appropriations Committee before it could be considered by the full Senate. Appropriations Chairwoman Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, is sponsoring the Senate bill.

The bills have no exceptions for rape and incest but they do say an abortion outside the proposed 15-week limit would be allowed if necessary to save the mother’s life, prevent a mother’s serious injury or if the fetus has a fatal abnormality. Florida currently allows abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Yvette Benarroch, of Marco Island, drove to Tallahassee to show her support of the bill. She told legislators she had an abortion when she was a teen and her decision has haunted her.

“I was very scared,” Benarroch said. “And I’m a little bit emotional because it brings me back to a time of my life that I said, it scarred me for life.”

Democrats, the minority party in both legislative chambers, said they would fiercely oppose the measure.

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