Politics & Government
HB 5 Abortion Ban Is Making Headway Through The State House
A National Organization for Women (NOW) lobbyist said, "This bill won't stop abortion."
January 26, 2022
Last week, a proposed 15-week abortion ban in Florida passed in its first committee in the Legislature — just before the anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court case.
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This week, on Thursday, lawmakers will have its second committee hearing, in the Health Care Appropriations subcommittee in the House.
Just like the first committee hearing, organizations are expected to speak on the controversial bill, HB 5, that would push for a 15-week abortion ban in Florida.
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The Senate has a similar bill, SB 147, but HB 5 is making major headway in the Legislature.
The group Florida Voice of the Unborn plans to be at the committee, to support the bill. Executive Director Andrew Shirvell says he plans to speak during the committee meeting.
“I would like to see the bill sponsor make some changes. The Voice of the Unborn would like to see the term ‘fetal’ be taken out and replaced with ‘unborn child,’ out of respect for the unborn” Shirvell said.
National Organization of Women (NOW) lobbyist Barbara DeVane and the group Florida Reproductive Freedom plan to be in the meeting with a large crowd. Last week, at least 70 people came for the initial committee meeting. DeVane also plans to speak during public testimony.
“In my 50 years of lobbying, I never have seen a reproductive bill for men,” DeVane said. “This bill won’t stop abortion.”
DeVane said that before doctors were doing the service, women found an unsafe way to abort their babies. And if this abortion ban goes through, she said, it will be a concern for women’s health.
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