Governor of Florida Ron DeSantis quietly signed Laws banning abortions after the first six weeks of pregnancy inside the state on Thursday.
What happened: DeSantis signed the measure, which would likely weigh in his 2024 presidential candidacyjust hours after lawmakers passed it in the afternoon, but announced it on his Twitter account late that evening.
“We are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said in a statement.
“I applaud the Legislature for passing the Heartbeat Protection Act, which expands pro-life protections and provides additional resources for young mothers and families.”
New legislation banning abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy contains certain exceptionsincluding when the mother’s life is in danger, and for victims of rape, incest or human trafficking, where abortions can be performed for up to 15 weeks.
Why it matters: Florida Republicans’ new legislation aims to limit access to abortion. Last year, GOP-controlled lawmakers passed a 15-week abortion ban that DeSantis signed into law. However, she is currently waiting for a decision by the Supreme Court of Justice.
The University of North Florida’s most recent poll in late February found that 75% of state residents either tended to agree or strongly disagree with the six-week ban proposal, with as many as 61% of Republicans opposed.
Continue reading: Women’s reproductive rights: US court upholds access to abortion pill for now, but with stricter rules
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