TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Gov. Ron DeSantis said while speaking at Tallahassee event to announce the next year’s budget that he would sign a 6-week abortion ban, and permit-less carry, legislation into law for Florida.
A proposed bill to allow permit-less concealed carry of firearms, called Constitutional Carry by supporters, was submitted to the Florida Legislature on Tuesday.
Previously, further abortion restriction proposals were floated in December with DeSantis confirming his intent to sign them into law. Specifically, DeSantis got a question about a “heartbeat” bill, regarding abortion.
Asked about both bills in Tallahassee after showing off his budget plan for the 2023 fiscal year, DeSantis said he would work with state legislators to make both bills a reality.
“I’ve said on both of those, we’re for constitutional carry, we’re for pro-life,” DeSantis said. “I’ve urged the legislature to work, to produce good stuff, and we will sign.”
A heartbeat bill would mean setting abortion restrictions at the point when a fetal heartbeat can be detected. While the exact provisions or definitions that will be used by Florida are not yet known, pending the legislation being filed, similar provisions were enacted in Georgia and Texas.
In 2021, Florida Rep. Anthony Sabatini filed legislation the same style of restriction as in Texas, saying it would stop abortions after six weeks. At the time, Gov. DeSantis had not fully supported the restriction in the bill. Instead, 2022 saw a 15-week abortion ban pass in Florida.
Amid a flurry of legal challenges, Florida’s Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in 2023.
