NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. – It was late Thursday night when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a six-week abortion ban into law—tweeting a photo, surrounded by cheering supporters.
Democratic State Senator Lauren Book has been a vocal opponent of the legislation. She called it a dark day.
“In the darkness at night . . . signing a piece of legislation like this,” she said.
SB300, cited as the “Heartbeat Protection Act,” bans abortions in Florida after just six weeks, instead of 15. But that only goes into effect if the current 15-week ban is upheld in a legal challenge before the state’s supreme court, which Book says will likely happen in June.
She advises any women in need of care to “keep your appointments, reach out to your provider, talk to Planned Parenthood, the 15-week ban in Florida is still in place.”
The bill allows exceptions for rape, incest, and human trafficking up to 15 weeks, then after that only for fatal fetal conditions.
Book said in order for that exemption, “you have to have two doctors certify a fatal fetal abnormality.”
A young woman who Local 10 News spoke to (we did not identify her to protect her identity) would be five days past the cutoff if the new law were in effect today.
“I am seeking an abortion. I am six weeks and five days. There’s so many children out there who are put in a situation where they have no family because their mother or father wasn’t able to keep them.”