TALLAHASSEE, FL – Today, the Senate voted to pass Senate Bill 300 (SB 300), a bill that prohibits pregnant people from accessing safe and legal abortions after six weeks of pregnancy — before many even know they are pregnant — and criminalizes medical professionals who provide such care.
The ACLU of Florida opposes this bill and the House Bill version, HB 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 directly violates our right to bodily autonomy and will virtually eliminate legal abortion care in Florida. In a state that prides itself on being free, this is an unprecedented, unconstitutional, and unacceptable level of government overreach and intrusion into our private lives.
“It’s a disgrace that this bill passed the Senate floor. It shows that our politicians are out of touch with what Floridians want and need. Bills like SB 300 ignore the fact that a majority of Floridians overwhelmingly support safe, legal, and accessible abortion care.
“This bill will force pregnant individuals to remain pregnant against their will and endure labor, delivery, and all of the significant medical and financial risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth. This bill will unfairly and disproportionately impact people who live in rural communities, people with low incomes, people with disabilities, and people of color.
“Hundreds of thousands of pregnant people will be forced to travel out of state to seek the care they need. Many people will not even know they are pregnant by six weeks, and for those who do, it is unlikely they will be able to schedule the legally required two in-person doctor’s appointments before six weeks of pregnancy.
“This bill is an extreme governmental overreach that’s being orchestrated across the country. We all should have the freedom to make decisions about our bodies, lives, and futures without interference from politicians.”
