FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 17, 2022
Contact: Mallory Carroll, [email protected]
Legislation Backed by Gov. DeSantis Would Save 3,000+ Lives a Year
Washington, D.C. – The national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) celebrated today as the Florida House of Representatives passed legislation to stop late abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. H.B. 5 and S.B. 146, introduced by State Rep. Erin Grall and State Sen. Kelli Stargel respectively, would be the strongest protections for unborn children and their mothers in state history if enacted. Governor Ron DeSantis has stated that he supports a 15-week abortion limit.
Charlotte Lozier Institute, SBA List’s research arm, estimates that 3,334 abortions at 15 weeks’ gestation or later were performed in Florida in 2020, based on data from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.
“We are greatly encouraged to see commonsense limits on late abortions moving forward in the Florida Legislature,” said SBA List State Policy Director Sue Liebel. “The U.S. is a global outlier in allowing abortion on demand well past the point when unborn babies can feel pain. In Florida alone, limiting abortions after 15 weeks would save more than 3,000 lives a year and better reflect the consensus views of Americans and most of the world.
“We are thankful for all our local allies working to advance this humane legislation, especially SBA List National Pro-Life Women’s Caucus members Representative Erin Grall Senator Kelli Stargel, and for the support and leadership of Gov. DeSantis. We urge the Senate to send this bill swiftly to his desk, and we hope the Supreme Court will soon recognize the right of the people in every state to enact laws protecting unborn children and their mothers.”
Polling released in 2019 shows 76% of Florida voters – including 64% of Democrats, 75% of Independents, 77% of women, and 53% of self-described pro-choice voters – support a law prohibiting late-term abortions (only 24% support allowing late-term abortions).
In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case involving a Mississippi law that limits abortion after 15 weeks, the Supreme Court will address whether all pre-viability abortion limits are unconstitutional. A decision is expected in the spring or summer of 2022.
SBA List is a network of 900,000 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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