Rallies planned across state Saturday to advocate for abortion access

The Supreme Court may hear an expeditied appeal of the Taxas anti-abortion law. Image via AP.

Thousands across Florida are expected to march Saturday in support of abortion access as the Supreme Court preps to start oral arguments on a restrictive Texas abortion law.

The Florida Marches for Reproductive Freedom will be held in 16 counties throughout the state, and are part of more than 600 events organized across the country in support of abortion rights.

Local and state elected officials helped organize the events with a handful of groups like Floridians for Reproductive Freedom and Ruth’s List Florida.

“We cannot continue to allow the Florida Legislature to attack reproductive freedom and the Constitutional standard of Roe v. Wade for political points,” Emma Collum, chair of Ruth’s List Florida, said in a statement. “Floridians’ lives and safety are at stake and we have too much to lose by staying silent.”

At the start of September, Rep. Webster Barnaby, a Deltona Republican, filed legislation in the Florida House inspired by the Texas law that would ban abortions after a fetus develops a heartbeat. The bill (HB 167), like the Texas rule, circumvents abortion law precedent by putting the onus of enforcement on private individuals, not state law enforcement.

The legislation prompted outrage from the state’s leading Democratic leaders, who have vowed to stop the bill.

“All people should be able to get reproductive healthcare that meets their needs throughout their lives and we’ll be making that message clear in the streets and in the Florida Legislature,” Tampa Bay Democratic Rep. Michele Rayner-Goolsby said in a statement.

“Florida Republicans have awakened the state by their gross, anti-reproductive health agenda,” Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said in a statement. “Today we’ll join thousands of others across the state to march against abortion bans and for reproductive justice. All people should be able to get reproductive healthcare that meets their needs throughout their lives and we’ll be making that message clear in the streets and in the Florida Legislature.”