The GOP governor from Florida, Ron DeSantis, introduced a lawsuit at Florida Supreme Court last year, regarding the limitation on abortions up to 15 weeks or less than that, letting that measure stay for the present.
Recently, the Florida Supreme Court has decided to start a trial against the lawsuit put on by DeSantis.
According to the Fox News report, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties have filed a lawsuit against that act, claiming that the Constitution of Florida secures the right to abortion.
However, the Florida high court overruled the appeal to stop the law’s implementation through a temporary restraining order. This law is known as the Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality Act, or HB5.
According to this law, if any unborn child is of 15 weeks or older, abortion would be considered illegal. The Republican governor has stated that the law “protects babies in the womb who have beating hearts, who can move, who can taste, who can see, and who can feel pain.”
Though, the opposers claim that any law that puts limitations on the procedure is attacking “dignity and bodily autonomy” and is “dangerous.”
“While we are pleased that the court didn’t shut its doors completely, we are dismayed that it has allowed this dangerous ban to remain in effect and to harm real people each and every day until this case is finally decided,” a staff attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, Whitney White stated.
“We hope that the court acts quickly and follows 40 years of precedent and the will of the people to stop this unconstitutional 15-week abortion ban, which has caused chaos and devastation in the state since going into effect in July,” White continued. “For almost seven months, women and people in need of essential abortion services have been forced to flee the state in search of the health care they need or face the horror of government-mandated forced pregnancy.”
“While today’s order is a step in the right direction, Floridians urgently need relief from Gov. DeSantis’ cruel ban,” she added.
Fox News added:
Initially, the trial was brought into Leon County Judge John Cooper’s Circuit Court, which previously ruled in favor of the petitioners. Cooper stated that the Constitution of Florida carries a clear-cut “right to privacy” that is “much broader in scope” as compared to any privacy right given by the Constitution of the United States Of America.
He also gave a ruling that an abortion of a 15-week unborn child is unlawful by sufficient state interest. The judge also added that the abortion law has an exemption in cases when the mother’s life is in danger. He stated that several other cases “may not be fatal but can have profound and lasting implications for the patient, the family, and the neonate if the pregnancy is carried to term.”
“Patients faced with a diagnosis of a fetal condition also need time to make the right decisions for themselves and their families, based on information from their prenatal care providers and from multiple sources with knowledge about the fetal anomaly at issue, discussion with family and other support systems, and consultation with their clergy, social workers, or other resources,” Cooper mentioned in his final statement, that also caters the petitioners with an injunction.
According to the Fox News reports, Florida filed an appeal against the ruling, though the Florida High Court dissolved Cooper’s injunction in a 4-1 conclusion without elaboration.
Previously, the high court confirmed the right to an abortion all over the state; however, DeSantis thinks the judiciary panel will also ensure HB5.
DeSantis easily defeated Democratic leader Charlie Crist to succeed in the November reelections by almost 20 points. There is some gossip that he is getting ready for the 2024 presidential elections. However, he has refused several times, stating that he has not yet decided to confront Donald Trump and that he would need sound finances to do so.
According to a report by Politico, after the November reelections, he collected a whopping $200 million as compared to Crist, his rival, who only managed a total of $31 million.
“If you look at where the money is coming from, it’s indicative of Gov. DeSantis being seen by national donors as the de facto frontrunner for president,” Republican lobbyist Slater Bayliss stated at the time.
The law introduced by DeSantis is similar to the Texas Heartbeat Law, which helps save the lives of numerous unborn babies. It is a pro-life law that will also save millions of lives in Florida, so the judiciary should make decisions keeping its positive impact in mind.
