A law signed by DeSantis in April would prohibit abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The law says “any person who willfully performs or actively participates in a termination of pregnancy” in violation of the law would face felony charges. DeSantis, who is running for president, said Wednesday it would not apply to women seeking abortions.
โWe have no criminal penalty. โฆ The penalties are for the physician,โ the governor said during an interview on โCBS Evening News.โ DeSantis said the bill was aimed at medical providers. โIt is not for the women,โ he added.
The law would prohibit abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, except in cases where the life of the mother is at risk. It would permit abortions up to 15 weeks in cases of rape, incest or human trafficking.
Bookโs bill, filed for consideration during the legislative session that will begin in January, would add wording to say a criminal penalty โdoes not apply to the pregnant woman who terminates the pregnancy.โ
The bill (SB 34) โcapitalizes on the governorโs interpretation of this cruel and dangerous ban by clarifying and correcting Florida law to shield women from being criminalized or jailed over abortion,โ a news release issued by Bookโs office said.
The six-week ban is contingent on a Florida Supreme Court ruling in a challenge to a 2022 law restricting abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
The six-week ban would go into effect if justices uphold the 15-week ban. โThe imprisonment of women, girls, sexual assault survivors, and their doctors through dangerous abortion bans is cruel and anti-freedom.
The governor has said โthat will not happen in Floridaโ โ but weโre not just going to take his word for it, weโre fighting to ensure it,โ Book, D-Davie, said in Fridayโs release. DeSantisโ comments also drew attention from other critics of the abortion prohibitions.
โRon is asking us to โtrust him.โ Ladies, how do we feel about that?โ Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said in a post Thursday on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article appears in Sep 14-20, 2023.

