For Immediate Release: April 13, 2023
Contact: Kelsey Pritchard, [email protected]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In a major win for life, the Florida House of Representatives approved the Heartbeat Protection Act (SB 300), a bill that would save tens of thousands of lives annually and provide $25 million in aid to women and families. Pro-life Gov. Ron DeSantis supports the bill, which now awaits his signature.
SBA Pro-Life America’s State Policy Director Katie Daniel praised the Legislature and DeSantis, saying:
“Florida lawmakers today delivered a major win for babies and mothers and a huge step forward for the Sunshine State. Unborn babies are human beings with beating hearts at six weeks’ gestation. A heartbeat at this point indicates a greater than 90% chance of surviving to birth. The Heartbeat Protection Act reflects these scientific facts and the consensus of 62% of Floridians – including majorities of women and Independents – that these vulnerable children deserve protection. Not only will this compassionate bill save tens of thousands of lives directly by protecting babies from abortion violence, it also provides $25 million in support for moms.
“Governor DeSantis stands unflinchingly for science and the will of the people, who rewarded pro-life Republicans with landslide victories in last year’s midterm elections. We thank all our allies, including House Speaker Paul Renner and sponsors Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka and Sen. Erin Grall, who worked tirelessly to get the Heartbeat Protection Act across the finish line, and we eagerly await Gov. DeSantis signing it into law.”
SB 300 establishes protections for unborn babies with a heartbeat (beginning at six weeks’ gestation) and allocates funds for pregnancy centers to serve more women both during pregnancy and after a child is born. Florida’s pregnancy centers offer free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, medical exams, counseling, parenting classes, financial classes, and resources such as food, diapers, clothing, and financial assistance for housing and utilities. SB 300 expands the types of programs that can be funded to include employment and educational resources and broadens participant eligibility to include adoptive families. The bill also provides for exceptions including rape, incest, human trafficking, and life of the mother, and does not allow the mailing of dangerous abortion pills.
Data from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration indicates that 95% of more than 82,000 abortions in Florida last year were sought for “elective” or “social or economic” reasons.
Pro-life momentum in Florida mirrors legislative efforts in Nebraska where the unicameral legislature voted yesterday to end a pro-abortion filibuster against similar heartbeat protections. Polling shows 58% of likely Nebraska voters support protecting unborn children with heartbeats, including almost two thirds of Independents, a majority of young women, and nearly half of Democrats.
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is a network of more than one million pro-life Americans nationwide, dedicated to ending abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives, with a special calling to promote pro-life women leaders.
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