After Sen. Kathleen Passidomo (incoming president of the Senate) stated that she would like to see Florida’s abortion ban change from 15 to 12 weeks gestation, changes could be coming to Florida’s laws.

In 1900, Florida had banned abortion. However, that ban was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court during the Roe v. Wade case in 1973. In June, the Supreme Court overturned that ruling. In anticipation of that decision, Florida Governor. Ron DeSantis proposed to ban abortions starting at 15 weeks gestation. The law does not make exceptions for cases that involve rape or incest.

DeSantis stated that House Bill 5 protects babies who are born with beating hearts, can sense pain, can taste and see, can hear, can smell, can taste and can see. This legislation is an important protection for life and it is something I am proud of signing.

DeSantis had already signed a law stating that minors must have written consent from their parents or guardians to have an abortion.

Andrew Shirvell (founder and executive director, Florida Voice for the Unborn), told The Center Square that Florida’s ban on abortion from 15 to 12 weeks will not affect abortion rates as most Florida abortions are performed before then.

“The vast majority (over 90%) of Florida abortions take place before 12 weeks gestation. Shirvell stated that a Florida law banning abortions after 12 week’s gestation, as opposed to 15 would not do much to reduce Florida’s horrific abortion rate. “Moreover, allowing an unborn child to die via abortion after 12 week’s gestation if it was conceived by rape or incest, as Senator Passidomo seems to want to do, is a step backwards since the 15-week abortion ban doesn’t allow for these so-called exceptions. ‘”

Shirvell said that there shouldn’t be any reason why Florida couldn’t ban abortion completely, since Roe has been overturned.

“Prior the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal in Roe v. Wade earlier in the year, enacting a 12-week ban on abortion might have made sense. These incremental measures, such as the ‘Heartbeat laws that prohibit abortions after six weeks gestation, were intended to challenge Roe. Shirvell said that Roe has been overturned and Florida and its sister states now have the permission to protect all unborn children.

Nearly a dozen Republican-controlled states have done that already. He noted.

Paul Renner from Palm Coast Republican, the new speaker of Florida’s House, stated that more pro-life legislation will likely result from Florida’s Republican supermajority.

Renner stated that he wanted to see the country move in a prolife direction but that he was also aware that Roe v. Wade had created a culture around the issue and expectations that will not change over time.

Renner stated, “We have 85 members and we have supermajorities (House and Senate), and I can tell them they are prolife majorities. I’m prolife, and I’d love to see us move towards a prolife direction.” “I believe we should look at how to balance some of these interests. So we will look at where everyone is in the caucus.