Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs 6-week abortion ban after bill passes state legislature

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Republican-dominated Florida Legislature on Thursday approved a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a proposal signed into law later in the day by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in a private ceremony as he prepares for an expected presidential run.

The governor's office announced the news just after 11 p.m. A photo DeSantis posted on Twitter shows him signing the bill – called the "Heartbeat Protection Act" – in a private late-night ceremony in his office, flanked by the House and Senate sponsors and House Speaker Paul Renner.

“We are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said in a news release Thursday. “I applaud the Legislature for passing the Heartbeat Protection Act that expands pro-life protections and provides additional resources for young mothers and families.”

But even with DeSantis' signature, the six-week ban would take effect only if the Florida Supreme Court rules against the state's current 15-week ban in an ongoing legal challenge.

The bill's passage through both state chambers marks a major victory for anti-abortion activists who have long tried to restrict access in Florida and were given new hope with last year's Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

But Florida's ban would have broader implications for abortion access throughout the South. The state has served as a haven for abortion for women who live in nearby states with six-week bans or total bans on the procedure.

Advocates of abortion access have said further restrictions will disproportionately hurt low-income women and women of color, drive obstetricians out of the state, and take away a healthcare option for Floridians and women across the South.

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Republicans steamroll flurry of amendments

Florida state Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, was one of several Democrats who altogether proposed nearly 50 amendments that were rejected again and again by Republicans.

One of Bartleman's amendments, which the representative said she worked with several doctors to write, listed specific medical conditions that would allow doctors to sign off on abortion beyond six weeks without fear of making a mistake that would risk their medical license.

Bill co-sponsor Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, said the amendment is redundant.

"Nothing in this bill or current law will prevent a woman whose health or life is at risk from seeking an abortion," she said. "If anyone tells you differently, they are misinformed."

Among the other changes proposed by Democrats: allocating funding for child-care services; speeding up the judicial waiver program for minors seeking abortions; expanding the role of the father; requiring just one doctor, rather than two, to sign off on a fatal fetal abnormality or condition that harms the life of the mother; and allowing a sworn statement, rather than court documents, to prove rape, incest or human trafficking.

"I want people who are watching us right now to know that you have people fighting for you," said Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, who worked at Planned Parenthood before she was elected to office. "Regardless of what happens in this state, we're going to make sure folks still have access, and that means if you have to travel somewhere else, we will find ways to help."

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What else the bill says

Because the ban had already passed through the Senate, members of the House took up that version of the bill. It's nearly identical to the House bill in that it bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest, and human trafficking up to 15 weeks.

The proposal includes $25 million for state-contracted pregnancy crisis centers and $5 million for family-planning services such as contraception and counseling.

Democrats in both chambers tried unsuccessfully to reallocate that money toward expanding childcare services, rape, and domestic violence centers, and a program created by the Legislature to address racial disparities in maternal care. They noted that the crisis centers aren't required to have medical practitioners on staff or to abide by health privacy laws, concerns that were confirmed in a report by the Miami Herald and Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting.

It also maintains exceptions to save the life of the mother and, up to the third trimester, in cases of fatal fetal abnormalities — as long as two physicians certify those circumstances in writing.

The bill also maintains a provision in Florida law that requires women seeking an abortion to see a doctor twice, at least 24 hours between each visit. Democratic lawmakers noted that requirement takes on new significance when time is of the essence; many women don't know they're pregnant until after six weeks.

Contributing: Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Florida abortion bill passes: Gov. Ron DeSantis signs 6-week ban