TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Cap News) – Beginning July first, pregnant teens will need their parent’s permission for an abortion in Florida under legislation now headed to the Governor’s desk.
House lawmakers voted 75-43 in favor of the Parental Consent Bill, but the battle is far from over.
DeSantis asked lawmakers to send him the bill during his State of the State address that kicked off the legislative session last month and he’s expected to sign it. The bill has a provision that will allow a girl to ask a judge for a waiver from the law in cases of abuse, incest or when involving a parent could cause more harm than allowing the procedure.
In 1989, a pregnant 15-year-old known as TW in court documents was afraid of emotional and physical abuse if she asked for her parent’s consent for an abortion.
Her case made it to the state Supreme Court.
It ruled the consent requirement violated her right to privacy.
“This legislation’s already been found unconstitutional,” said Rep. Fentrice Driskell.
Now that case is being cited as a reason not pass the consent notification over 30 years later.
“Let’s not take these poor frightened girls and make their lives hell,” said Rep. Joe Geller.
But sponsor Rep. Erin Grall said it is a new day in Florida.
“My only goal is that parents are involved with minors seeking to have an abortion. That’s the conversation we’ve been having, We’ve been keeping it on that level. Whether or not it goes to the courts is out of my hands,” said Grall.
Even the Governor asked for it in his state of the state.
Florida still has the same privacy guarantee it did in 1989.
What’s different, is a conservative court that recently reversed a three-year-old ruling on death cases, calling it wrong.
Hours before the vote, Governor DeSantis acknowledged a challenge was imminent.
“So this I really view this as an outlier and I really do believe it needs to be reconsidered,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
Advocates worry that if Roe V Wade is overturned at the federal level, this legislation will end up weakening abortion rights for all women.
“The intention of is to strip away our right to privacy in the state that protects abortion access,” said Laura Hernandez with the Planned Parenthood Foundation.
The open question, will the courts block the bill while it is being challenged?
