Florida’s 15 Week Abortion Ban Challenged in Court by Pro-Abortion Group

Published Jun. 2, 2022, 7:23 a.m. ET | Updated Jun. 2, 2022

pro life

June 2, 2022 Updated 7:23 A.M. ET

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Florida’s 15 week abortion ban, recently signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, is being challenged in court by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of other abortion rights groups like Planned Parenthood. The lawsuit was filed in the 2nd Judicial Circuit of Florida.

The law, H.B. 5, is set to take effect on July 1st.

“This law blatantly rejects Floridians’ need for essential abortion care and their strong support for the right to get an abortion,” Florida ACLU Legal Director Daniel Tilley said.

“Not only does HB 5 defy the will of the people, it ignores the real-life circumstances of people who need an abortion and deliberately puts them in harm’s way.”

However, Florida Voice for the Unborn, a pro-life grassroots organization based in Tallahassee, founded by Andrew Shirvell, pushed back on the “meritless” suit.

“Florida Voice for the unborn is completely unsurprised by the lawsuit filed today in Leon County Circuit Court… Their lawsuit is meritless, as the Florida Constitution – including the privacy amendment that was added in 1980 – does not mention the right to abortion at all,” he said in a press release.

He said that the group predicts the “pro-abortion lawsuit” will back-fire on the Florida abortion industry, explaining that the new lawsuit will pave way for the Florida Supreme Court to “overturn its misguided precedents that wrongly interpreted the state Constitution as guaranteeing Florida women the right to obtain an abortion independent of the federal Constitution.”

Ron DeSantis Signs 15 Week Abortion Ban

DeSantis defended the new law in April, saying, “This is a time where these babies have beating hearts. They can move. They can taste.“

“We are here today to protect life. We are here today to defend those who can’t defend themselves.”

The law says abortions are banned after 15 weeks unless two physicians certify in writing that, in reasonable medical judgement, the termination of the pregnancy is necessary to save a pregnant woman’s life or stop her from facing irreversible physical impairment other than a psychological condition. 

Other exceptions are allowed if two physicians certify in writing that in reasonable medical judgment the fetus has not achieved viability (defined under Florida Statute 390.01112) or that the fetus has a fatal abnormality. 

A single physician can certify an abortion in an emergency if the above criteria is followed and another physician is not available. 

Wilton Simpson Rises as ‘Conservative Leader’ After Latest Rounds of Legislation and GOP Electoral Victories

Share This Post

Latest News

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments