On Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 5, which bans late-term abortions.
Providing exceptions to mothers who are at risk of “irreversible physical impairment,” along with specific irregularities regarding the baby’s formation within the womb. However, it law does not allow an exception for rape.
The law defines late-term abortions as those that occur after the baby has been in the womb for 15 weeks.
Watch: DeSantis speaks at the signing ceremony.
There it is: @GovRonDeSantis bans late term abortions in Florida! pic.twitter.com/aXqDQDO93V
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) April 14, 2022
Leaders on the left have expressed outrage toward the bill, after it had successfully worked its way through Florida’s legislature. Biden, in March, Tweeted “Last night, the Republican-controlled Florida legislature passed a dangerous bill that will severely restrict women’s access to reproductive health care. My Administration will not stand for the continued erosion of women’s constitutional rights.”
In response to the President’s Tweet, DeSantis’ office noted how babies can feel pain in the womb and have survived outside of the womb after 20 weeks, saying “That is when they can already feel pain and they’re getting close to viability. Babies have been born at 20 weeks and survived. What you’re arguing for is unfettered LATE TERM abortion.”
