(C) Florida Phoenix This story was originally published by Florida Phoenix and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . On the first day of the 2023 session, GOP lawmakers file a 6-week abortion ban in Florida [1] ['Diane Rado', 'More From Author', '- March'] Date: 2023-03-07 The GOP-controlled Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a 15-week abortion ban last year. On Tuesday, lawmakers filed a bill to reduce the ban to six weeks, creating significant new abortion restrictions in the state. State Sen. Erin Grall, who has been at the forefront of abortion restrictions in Florida, filed the Senate bill, SB 300, on the first day of the 2023 legislation session. In the House, the bill, HB 7, was sponsored by State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, who represents part of Lee County. A co-sponsor is Rep. Spencer Roach, of southwest Florida. The bills are titled: Pregnancy and Parenting Support. DeSantis, during his State of the State address Tuesday, did not mention a new 6-week abortion ban, but he did say in his remarks: “We are proud to be pro-family and we are proud to be pro-life in the state of Florida.” At the same time, the governor has repeatedly been cautious about what he would want to say about further abortion restrictions. The new legislation states that “A physician may not knowingly perform or induce a termination of pregnancy if the physician determines the gestational age of the fetus is more than 6 weeks unless one of the following conditions is met…” (The bill had eliminated the number “15” in the piece of the legislation, a reference to Florida’s 15-week ban.) As to “following conditions,” that could be met, new language states: /The pregnancy has not progressed to the third trimester has not achieved and two physicians certify in writing that, in reasonable medical judgment, the fetus has a fatal fetal abnormality. /The pregnancy is the result of rape or incest and the gestational age of the fetus is not more than 15 weeks as determined by the physician. At the time the woman schedules or arrives for her appointment for a termination of pregnancy, she must provide a copy of a restraining order, police report, medical record, or other court order or documentation proving that she is obtaining the termination of pregnancy because she is a victim of rape or incest. If the woman is a minor, the physician must report the incident of rape or incest to the central abuse hotline as required under s. 39.201. Another part of the bill relates to “in-person performance by physician required,” but the Senate and House differ. For HB 7 language: Only a physician may perform or induce a termination of pregnancy or dispense abortion-inducing drugs. A physician may not use telehealth … to provide an abortion, including, but not limited to, prescribing abortion-inducing drugs. A physician must be physically present in the same room as the woman when the termination of pregnancy is performed or when dispensing abortion-inducing drugs … For SB 300 language: Only a physician may perform or induce a termination of pregnancy. A physician may not use telehealth … perform an abortion, including, but not limited to, medical abortions. Any medications intended for use in a medical abortion must be dispensed in person by a physician and may not be dispensed through the United States Postal Service or by any other courier or shipping service. In addition, language in both Senate and House bills state that: Any person, governmental entity, or educational institution may not expend state funds as defined in s. 215.31 in any manner for a person to travel to another state to receive services that are intended to support an abortion … more to come … [END] --- [1] Url: https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/03/07/on-the-first-day-of-the-2023-session-gop-lawmakers-file-a-6-week-abortion-ban-in-florida/ Published and (C) by Florida Phoenix Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/floridaphoenix/