Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that he supports a bill banning abortions after fifteen weeks in the state, the latest effort in a Republican-controlled state to pass pro-life legislation.
The bill, introduced by Republicans state Sen. Kelli Stargel and Rep. Erin Grall, would prevent physicians from terminating a pregnancy if the baby has reached the fifteen weeks threshold.
“I have not seen that particular one, but obviously I’m supportive of 15 weeks. I mean, I think that’s very reasonable, and I think that’s very consistent with, you know, being supportive of protecting life,” DeSantis told reporters during a press conference Wednesday.
“We’ll work with them as they kind of get through that process, but I think that will be something that we’ll be able to sign, and I think a lot of people would be happy with that,” DeSantis said.
The legislation is similar to a Mississippi’s abortion law, currently being challenged before the Supreme Court, which outlaws abortion procedures after fifteen weeks. The bill also follows Texas’ Heartbeat Act, passed in September 2021 and long since beset by legal challenges, which aims to prevent abortion procedures after a baby’s heartbeat is first detectable by enabling citizens to hold doctors who perform abortions liable.
“I think it’s a very good start and I think it’s something the committee process will vet out and perhaps be on the floor at some point,” Florida state Senate President Wilton Simpson, who endorsed the bill, told Fox News. “I’ve been pro-life all of my life.”
DeSantis previously signaled that he would be open to other pro-life legislative proposals Tuesday.
“There’s a lot of pro-life legislation. We’re going to be welcoming it. I haven’t looked at every single bill,” DeSantis told reporters, according to Newsweek. “I think if you look at what’s been done in some of these other states—I mean, when you start talking about 15 weeks where you have really serious pain and heartbeats and all this stuff—having protections I think is something that makes a lot of sense.”
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