Florida: 6-Week Abortion Ban Bill Approved – Here's What It Means

Despite opposition from two Republican senators and shouts from protesters, the Florida Senate voted Monday to prohibit abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy, per Politico.

The Florida abortion bill, S.B. 300, would outlaw most abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy except in extreme cases, such as when a woman's life is in danger or when the pregnancy is the result of incest, rape, or human trafficking, in which case the prohibition would be lifted for up to 15 weeks.

The Florida Department of Health will also receive $30 million to fund new and expanded services related to family planning, parenthood, and pregnancy.

The bill, supported by Republican state senator Erin Grall (R-Vero Beach), passed the Senate with a 26-13 vote and now heads to Republican governor Ron DeSantis for his signature.

Grall, a Democrat, cited former President Bill Clinton's statements that abortions should be "safe, legal, and rare" before Monday's vote.

"We're so far from safe, legal, and rare; we have normalized and sterilized the taking of life as health care," Grall said, stating that they have heard that women will keep having abortions, but that is like saying that people will keep killing people.

The Florida Abortion Ban Is a Political Advantage to Ron DeSantis

DeSantis could score points with Republican primary voters for his possible 2024 presidential run by passing a six-week ban on abortions. It would align Florida with the abortion restrictions of other Republican-controlled states, PBS noted.

Since neighboring Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi prohibit abortion at all stages of pregnancy, and Georgia prohibits the procedure after cardiac activity can be found, which is around six weeks, the measure would have wider repercussions for abortion access throughout the South.

"Bodily autonomy should not give a person the permission to kill an innocent human being," said Grall, adding that convenience has replaced responsibility, and we no longer stop considering the repercussions of our actions; this is unacceptable regarding the safety of the most vulnerable.

Why Senate Democrats Opposed the Florida Abortion Ban?

"What we really should call this is a de facto abortion ban," said Democratic Sen. Lori Berman, stating that it simply is impossible for anyone to become aware of their pregnancy at six weeks and still be able to have an abortion, WESH 2 reported.

But the Republicans won, so the House of Representatives will determine the following steps, which the GOP currently holds.

Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando, spoke out against the Florida abortion bill as it was being introduced in the Florida House.

"It's incredibly dangerous. It strips away bodily autonomy and individual freedoms, especially of women in our state," Eskamani said. "Folks will turn to unsafe means to decide their futures."

Moreover, a vote on the measure in the House could come as soon as next week, and she anticipates that the chamber will follow the Senate's lead.

Even if the House approves the measure and Governor Ron DeSantis signs it into law, the Florida abortion bill would not take effect until the state's Supreme Court rules on a challenge to the state's prohibition on abortions after 15 weeks, which was filed last year.

"So there's a lot of uncertainty," said Eskamani. "And, of course, that type of uncertainty creates a lot of chaos and confusion for patients."

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Florida Senate passes 6-week abortion ban backed by DeSantis - From CBS Miami