Planned Parenthood pans proposed Florida ‘heartbeat’ abortion bill

ST. PAUL, MN/USA - JANUARY 1, 2017: Planned Parenthood clinic exterior and logo. Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization that provides reproductive health services.

New legislation that would ban abortion after six weeks of pregnancy is earning a long denunciation from Planned Parenthood.

“As with all abortion bans, this bill will prevent people from accessing essential health care and take away people’s power over their own bodies, their lives and their futures,” said Laura Goodhue, Executive Director of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates.

Goodhue was responding to SB 300, filed by Fort Pierce Republican Sen. Erin Grall, legislation that would ban doctors from knowingly performing or inducing a termination of pregnancy after the sixth week of gestation with some limited exceptions.

“Often, people don’t even realize they’re pregnant at six weeks,” Goodhue added. “As a result, this bill means many pregnant people will never have the option to have an abortion. Moreover, between the 24-hour mandatory delay and two appointment requirements, even patients who realize they are pregnant before six weeks may be unable to access abortion care before they run out of time.”

Goodhue argued the restrictions passed last year imposing a 15-week threshold are already having a deleterious effect.

“We are already seeing the toll that a 15-week ban is taking on the health and well-being of pregnant people and their families in Florida. Further restricting abortion before the Florida Supreme Court has even weighed in on the last ban can only create worse outcomes,” read the statement.

“Evidence shows that when people are denied abortions, their long-term well-being and that of their children, if they have them, suffers. That burden falls disproportionately on Black and Latino communities, who, because of systemic discrimination in employment, housing, and public resources, are more likely to have low incomes and struggle to access health care. Abortion bans like the bill introduced today perpetuate these cycles of inequality.”

Goodhue then framed the latest move as being influenced by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political aspirations, in an effort to appeal to the GOP base.

“This near-total abortion ban has nothing to do with what is best for Floridians and everything to do with Ron DeSantis’ ambition to be President and what he thinks Republican primary voters want.”

“If Florida legislators really want to reduce abortions, they would be fighting tooth and nail to ensure that everyone has access to comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education, free birth control and emergency contraception. They would expand Medicaid, and sufficiently fund supportive services that make it easier to start a family. Instead, the same politicians seeking to ban abortion also oppose measures that would reduce the need for abortion.

“Ultimately, decisions about whether to end a pregnancy, choose adoption or raise a child must be left up to the pregnant person and anyone they decide to consult. Politicians have no business meddling in these deeply personal decisions and pushing these outrageous abortion bans.”