For Immediate Release: April 3, 2023
Contact: Kelsey Pritchard, [email protected]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A bill that would save tens of thousands of lives annually and provide $25 million in aid to women received Senate approval today. With a 26-13 vote, SB 300 now heads to the House.
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.
SBA Pro-Life America’s State Policy Director Katie Daniel celebrated the bill’s continued advancement:
“Sixty-two percent of Floridians support protecting unborn children from abortion when their heartbeat can be detected, including 61% of Independents and 58% of women. Florida’s life-saving heartbeat protection legislation not only represents the will of people by bringing the Sunshine State into line with 19 other states that protect babies with beating hearts, but also by funding vital services for women and families.
“Nearly one quarter of Florida’s abortions were sought for ‘social or economic reasons’ last year. Research also shows over 60% of women who have abortions report pressure, whether because of finances, a male partner, or other source – surely we can all agree that is not what free ‘choice’ looks like. With $25 million in funding for life-affirming nonprofits, more moms will receive the support they need to thrive during pregnancy and beyond.”
According to data from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, more than
82,000 abortions occurred in the state in 2022. Abortions sought for “elective” or “social or economic” reasons accounted for 95% of the state’s abortions that year. Despite a new law protecting unborn babies at 15 weeks of pregnancy that took effect last year, the number of abortions in Florida increased by 3% in 2022 due to Florida becoming a destination state for abortion, with almost 4,900 abortions performed on out-of-state residents.
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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