Jason Delgado
A bill that would ban disability abortions in Florida cleared its first committee stop on Thursday.
The Professions & Public Health Subcommittee OK’d the bill (HB 1221) with an 11-7 vote. Rep. Erin Grall, a Vero Beach Republican, is the bill sponsor.
Grall’s proposal would prohibit a physician from performing an abortion if they know or should know that a woman’s decision is based on a test result or diagnosis that suggests a disability.
The bill makes exceptions for abortions deemed necessary to save a woman’s life. It also extends immunity to a woman if they violate or conspire to violate the provision.
“For those of you that feel as strongly as we do that abortion is health care, there are many of us that don’t feel that the killing of a child can ever be health care,” Grall said.
According to the bill, the prohibition would apply to defects, diseases and disorders including but not limited to:
— A physical disability
— A mental or intellectual disability
— A physical disfigurement
— Scoliosis
— Dwarfism
— Down syndrome
— Albinism.
— Amelia
— A physical or mental disease
The bill drew stiff opposition from Democrats and civil liberty activists.
Democratic Rep. Michelle Rayner of St. Petersburg voted against the proposal.
She fears the legislation would disproportionally impact minority communities.
“As a woman who works in dependency court, I can tell you that black kids are not getting adopted,” Rayner said. “And I can tell you that black kids with disabilities are not getting adopted.”
Democratic Rep. Kelly Skidmore of Boca Raton also voted against the measure.
She expressed concerns over the bill’s intent.
“This is not about people with disabilities or fetuses with disabilities,” Skidmore said. “It’s a cloak that we have wrapped around infringement on a woman’s right to choose, for health care, to choose an abortion.”
If passed, Florida would join nine other states in the prohibition.
Notably, legal challenges are ongoing in seven of the nine states, according to a staff analysis.
The bill passed with an amendment proposed by Grall.
The amendment, among other pursuits, would require a health care provider that tests for prenatal genetic disorders to distribute education information for patients. It would also require the Department of Health to annually publish “evidenced-based” information about disorders as well as provide details about community resources.
Democratic Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith of Orlando called the amendment insulting, arguing that the Legislature has “no business” regulating abortions.
Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani of Orlando, a former Planned Parenthood employee, said the Legislature needs to be more supportive of women.
“That’s what this Legislature shouldn’t be doing,” Eskamani said. “Not shaming someone and then putting a pamphlet in their hands and telling them good luck.”
Grall’s proposal moves next to the Health & Human Services Committee.
If signed into law, the bill would take effect July 1.
“The practice of destroying those that are or may be disabled is detrimental and contrary to our culture and our values,” Grall concluded in her closing remarks.
6 comments
Florida Voice for the Unborn
March 11, 2021 at 6:43 pm
Florida Voice for the Unborn’s executive director today issued the following statement regarding House Bill 1221 (Prohibition of Disability Abortions):
“On behalf of Florida Voice for the Unborn, I thank the House Professions and Public Health Subcommittee for passing this afternoon House Bill 1221, which will stop Florida abortions based on a diagnosis of genetic disability. The vote was 11-to-7 in favor of the bill, with one Republican joining all Democrats in opposition. A version of this legislation has been filed in previous Legislative Sessions, but has never been heard before a committee – until today! Thank you to subcommittee Chair Rep. Will Robinson (R—Manatee & Sarasota Counties) for scheduling this bill before his subcommittee. Thank you to subcommittee member Rep. Tyler Sirois (R—Brevard County) for his eloquent defense of House Bill 1221 during the hearing. And, most of all, thank you to pro-life champion Rep. Erin Grall ( R—Indian River & St. Lucie Counties) for sponsoring this much needed piece of pro-life legislation, which – when enacted into law – will contribute to building an authentic Culture of Life here in the Sunshine State.”
Our executive director continued, “Children who are diagnosed with Down syndrome or another genetic disability prior to their birth should not be targeted for extermination. They are God’s children and have the same right to life as all other persons. I was proud to testify today in favor of House Bill 1221 and I am proud of all of Florida Voice for the Unborn’s grassroots supporters throughout the state who contacted the subcommittee members on short notice to ensure victory today.”
Our executive director further remarked, “However, I was deeply embarrassed for the unhinged performance art staged by the subcommittee’s pro-abortion Democrats in opposition to House Bill 1221. It was really outrageous. In my opinion, it was a toss-up between Rep. Kelly Skidmore (D—Palm Beach County) and Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D—Orange County) as to who was the most deranged, illogical, and downright misleading in their opposition. Those pro-abort legislators’ defense of keeping eugenic abortions legal put them in the same company as Adolph Hitler and the white supremacist founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger. Equally troubling was the vote in opposition from Republican Rep. Sam Killebrew (Polk County). While Rep. Killebrew did not speak during the hearing, his unfortunate vote does speak volumes. His vote against this legislation is shocking and shameful.”
Our executive director concluded, “Florida Voice for the Unborn knows the road to getting a ban on disability abortions passed here in Florida will not be easy, especially in the state Senate. But with God, all things are possible. Florida Voice for the Unborn looks forward to continuing to strongly advocate for this important pro-life legislation during the 2021 Legislative Session.”
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Florida Voice for the Unborn is a Tallahassee-based grassroots lobbying group that only focuses on pro-life issues impacting the unborn. It is strictly independent, and its work is guided by faith in God’s only Son, Jesus Christ. Florida Voice for the Unborn supports all peaceful efforts by elected officials and others to end abortion and save lives. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Parler @UnbornVoiceFL – and visit our website.
Sick of FLBULL
March 12, 2021 at 1:34 pm
Keep your religious bigoted beliefs out of FL’s politics.
How dare you?
Rick
March 12, 2021 at 4:04 pm
Says the anti-Christian bigot.
Sonja Fitch
March 12, 2021 at 4:41 pm
Choice for the man that does not protect himself is to remove his penis! Once that choice is completed get back to me on a woman’s choice! Vote Democrat up and down ballot for the elections in 2022
Ron Ogden
March 13, 2021 at 8:41 am
Every day more and more people are becoming “woke” to the horror and shame that is the senseless murder of the most helpless among us, all in the name of “control”. Step by step we are reversing the generational crime of abortion. To whom will we pay “reparations” for those who were denied the right to live in our world because of the precedence of someone’s lifestyle choice?
Sonja Fitch
March 14, 2021 at 3:37 pm
Yo Ogden “woke “ to the 500thousand covid deaths yet. Cry me a river with this “woke” life bs! Man loses penis. Then talk to me about who got who in the gotcha bs! Hypocrite!
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