Florida Republican files Texas-style ‘heartbeat’ abortion bill
Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani of Orlando, who for years worked with Planned Parenthood, said she is not surprised but said she is disgusted that her Republican freshman colleague Webster Barnaby, of Deltona, filed the Florida Heartbeat Act.
"It's a really offensive piece of legislation," she said.
Eskamani said state history shows Florida voters have long supported the right to privacy and opposed extreme abortion restrictions.
"It's a slap in the face to women across the state and it recharges us to be ready for a fight this session and into next year," she said.
The bill would ban abortions if a fetal heartbeat is detected, generally thought to be about six weeks and, like Texas's law, allow anyone other than a government official to sue abortion providers or anyone who aids those providers, seeking remedy through civil penalties.
Republican state Rep. Anthony Sabatini said he was about to file the bill but will instead co-sponsor it. He said he thinks since the Supreme Court refused to block the Texas ban, any of his Republican colleagues who may have been concerned about legal standing, will be more confident.
"I think it's a great bill, I think it's a very important issue," he said. "Florida needs to stand on the side of the unborn stand on the side of life and that's what this bill does. This bill prohibits abortions for people who have heartbeats."
Eskamani said she and fellow Democrats will stand in fierce opposition, perhaps getting some republican support along the way.
"We are going to do everything we can as democrats and minority caucus to build relationships across the aisle with women to stop this bill from actually passing and becoming law," she said.