As the Florida Senate prepares to take up a six-week abortion ban, activists are launching a long-shot effort to stop the bill.
The day before the ban was scheduled for a floor hearing, a small crowd of mostly women gathered Wednesday on the steps of Florida’s historic Capitol in Tallahassee to continue the fight for access to abortion.
“It’s not done until it’s done, and while there is a super majority, the Senate leader has a lot of power and can make the decision to not prioritize further limiting our ability to have abortions," said Stephanie Pineiro, executive director at Florida Access Network.
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo told reporters before the session started she thinks an abortion ban should include exemptions for rape, incest or human trafficking. It’s a sticking point she brought up about the 15-week abortion ban that lawmakers passed last year. The six-week ban under consideration this year includes exemptions for rape and incest but only up until the 15-week mark.
“Exemptions for abortion are quite frankly pointless," Pineiro said.
Pinerio said the exemptions force pregnant people in these cases to report and expose their trauma when they might not feel ready or safe to do so.
Pinerio said her organization will continue to be there to help people who need access to abortion care no matter what happens in the Senate chamber.
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