FL Supreme Court Will Hear Lawsuit On 15-week Abortion Ban; Church Hit By Vandals

RIVERVIEW, FL — The right to an abortion has been controversial since Roe v. Wade made it the law of the land in 1973. With the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that struck down Roe, the debate over abortion has shifted to courts in Florida and other states, with a Tampa area church a flashpoint in the controversy recently.

Members of the Respect Life committee at St. Stephen Catholic Church said they are praying for those who defaced pro-life banners posted on the church's property in Riverview. Two banners at the church noted the more than 65 million unborn babies lost to abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe decision.

On Thursday morning, committee members discovered that its "Abortion Stops a Beating Heart" banners facing east and west Boyette Road had been covered with red spray paint and replaced with messages reading "Womens body, womens choice" and "Pro-choice, save the mom."

On Jan. 23, the Florida Supreme Court agreed to take up a legal challenge to Florida’s 15-week abortion ban. The move comes after lower courts repeatedly closed off legal avenues to block HB 5.

Plaintiffs argue that the Florida law — which criminalizes essential healthcare and threatens to imprison doctors for providing care to their patients — violates the state constitution.

The American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood and other groups are expected to file a brief this week asking the Florida Supreme Court to accept jurisdiction over the case and reconsider their request to block the law. The supreme court justices already denied the request to block the law in a 4-1 decision while the case is being heard.

The church committee, which provides free counseling to women who are struggling with their decisions after choosing abortion, said it is responding to the vandalism with understanding and prayer.

"The word abortion or a 'Choose Life' banner can trigger a PTSD response," said the committee in a statement sent out to members of the congregation. "All our post-abortive brothers and sisters are in need of true love and hope of mercy, healing and restoration. Keep them in your prayers."

On June 24, in a decision that divided the country, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

However, during the 2022 Florida legislative session, the Legislature approved House Bill 5, which bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on July 1, House Bill 5 is being challenged by the ACLU, Planned Parenthood and abortion providers who say the law violates the Florida Constitution by criminalizing essential health care and threatening to imprison doctors for providing care to their patients.

In the meantime, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naple, said the Legislature is considering further restricting abortion rights during the 2023 legislative session, banning abortions after six to 12 weeks of pregnancy, with the exception of rape and incest.

“I felt we should have included an exception for rape and incest in the 15-week bill that we passed (in 2022),” Passidomo said during a news conference.

If such a bill is passed by the Legislature, DeSantis said he will sign it.