New Abortion Restrictions To Hit Next Florida Legislative Session Following SCOTUS Hearing
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - While the U.S. Supreme Court deliberates on the latest challenge to Roe v. Wade, new abortion laws are already in the works ahead of Florida's upcoming legislative session.
HB 167 is already in a subcommittee, it would require doctors to conduct a test and inform a pregnant woman of a heartbeat. Doctors say that could happen at 6 weeks. Once detected that would prohibit an abortion. People would also be able to file a lawsuit after an illegal abortion is performed, it mirrors a Texas law that is also expected to go before the U.S. Supreme Court.
"That bill is less likely to pass in Florida but what I do envision passing in Florida is something like the Mississippi law, which is a 15-week ban," State Sen. Lori Berman.
State Senator Lori Berman told CBS 4, the latest hearing opened a door for Florida lawmakers to introduce new laws in the interim, laws that will make abortions nearly impossible.
"And if the Supreme Court rules in favor of a 15-week abortion ban then starting whenever the Supreme Court rules in favor of it that will become the law of the land," she said.
"Life is worth protecting, from conception," a protestor said Wednesday.
The current viability standards is 24 weeks, as established through Roe v. Wade. A standard that could be over-ruled or struck down.
"The reason this issue's hard, is that you can't accommodate both interests. You have to pick. That's the fundamental problem," Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, U.S. Supreme Court.
"The way this will affect the average family is your right to to be able to get healthcare which is your reproductive right, your right to healthcare will be limited in the state of Florida if we change our laws," Berman explained.
Sen. Berman is now proposing a new bill, Senate Bill 1036.
"And what it says is women have the right in the State of Florida to decide what contraceptives they want to use if they want to have an abortion if they want to give birth if they want to adopt. And if anybody tries to interfere with those rights under our bill to go to court and ask for an injunction and get equitable relief including damages and attorney fees," she said.
It will be an uphill battle to get the bill heard.
"Even if we don't get those bills heard, what my message is we need to be having this discussion in the state of Florida, people need to understand that our under our Florida constitution they have a higher right of privacy and we do have a right to abortion," she added.
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to make a decision in June.
