Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee voted to pass Senate Bill 300 (SB 300), a bill that prevents individuals from accessing safe and legal abortions after six weeks of pregnancy — before many even know they are pregnant — and would criminalize medical professionals who provide abortion care.
The ACLU of Florida opposes this bill and its companion bill, House Bill 7.
Kara Gross, ACLU of Florida’s legislative director and senior policy counsel, responded to today’s vote with the following:
“This bill is a near total ban on abortion in Florida. It prohibits abortions after 6 weeks, before many people even know they are pregnant. What’s more, the state calculates weeks from the date of the person’s last menstrual period, so in reality, a person would have to have their abortion within 2 weeks of their missed period. Moreover, many people have irregular periods and may not even miss a period.
“For those fortunate enough to be aware that they are pregnant within the extremely tight timeframe, they most likely will not be able to satisfy the state’s strict requirement that the pregnant individual have two in-person doctor visits before being able to terminate their pregnancy. Additionally, the bill criminalizes doctors for dispensing abortion pills via telehealth or through the mail. This makes it virtually impossible for anyone to be able to legally access abortion care in Florida.
“This cruel bill will force hundreds of thousands of pregnant people to travel out of state to seek the care they need, and the closest state to access care is South Carolina. Others will be forced to remain pregnant against their will and endure labor, delivery, and all of the significant medical and financial risks associated with pregnancy. This bill will unfairly and disproportionately impact people who live in rural communities, people with low incomes, people with disabilities, and people of color.
“It is an extreme bill that is out of touch with what Floridians want and need. Bills, like SB 300, ignore the fact Floridians overwhelmingly support safe, legal, and accessible abortion care. We all should have the freedom to make decisions about our bodies, lives, and futures without interference from politicians.”
