Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the state’s ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy Thursday afternoon but didn’t announce the move until after 11 pm EST.
The Governor’s office released a statement hours after the signing:
Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 300, the Heartbeat Protection Act, which prohibits abortions once the unborn child has a detectible [sic] heartbeat.
We are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida. I applaud the Legislature for passing the Heartbeat Protection Act that expands pro-life protections and provides additional resources for young mothers and families.
Signed the Heartbeat Protection Act, which expands pro-life protections and devotes resources to help young mothers and families. pic.twitter.com/quZpSj1ZPk
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 14, 2023
As RedState’s Nick Arama reported, news that the bill had passed the legislature earlier in the day caused the left to go nuts and disrupt normal operations in the state Capitol. They even had to close the galleries in the chamber because of the disturbances.
Pro-life supporters, on the other hand, were thrilled:
God bless Florida! Countless lives (and generations) will be saved. What a wonderful legacy for all involved! https://t.co/MXuL75zFRo
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) April 14, 2023
Abortion is one of the most divisive issues in the nation, of course, and abortion proponents came out in force to accuse DeSantis of extremism and hate for wanting to protect the lives of the unborn. Florida House Democrat Anna V. Eskamani tweeted:
DeSantis just signed one of the nation’s most EXTREME abortion bans into law — behind closed doors, and near midnight. He knows how DEEPLY unpopular this law is and he doesn’t want YOU to know about it. Please spread the word & help make sure others know too.
Abortion extremist California Governor Newsom, always envious of DeSantis’ success, of course had to weigh in:
This is not what freedom looks like. https://t.co/YSnaQjpJ9V
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 13, 2023
President Joe Biden has also gone on the record against protecting the unborn and any curbs on abortion:
“The President and Vice President believe women should be able to make healthcare decisions with their doctors and families — free from political interference,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement when the bill was filed in March. “They are committed to protecting access to reproductive care, and continue to call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law.”
Abortion is sure to be a contentious issue in the upcoming race for the presidency in 2024, as NBC News reports:
The abortion fight will no doubt take center stage as the Republican presidential primary contenders try to wade through the issue’s murky political waters. Being anti-abortion is a must for any candidate trying to win a Republican presidential primary, but being seen as going too far can be toxic in a general election.
With this move, DeSantis has thrown down the gauntlet to his presumed GOP competitors and shown that he is a strong opponent of the extreme abortion views of the left. As he said in his statement:
All of these measures combined show that Florida is truly committed to building culture of life by adopting family first policies and protecting life at all stages.
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