The conservative governor of the US state of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has signed a controversial abortion law that only allows abortions up to the 15th week. “We are here today to defend those who cannot defend themselves,” DeSantis said Thursday at the signing of the law.
There are exceptions to the ban on abortion after the 15th week if there is a serious risk to the health of the woman or if the fetus is fatally deformed, but not in the case of rape or incest.
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The law, which goes into effect on July 1, contradicts a nearly 50-year-old landmark ruling by the US Supreme Court, which generally allows abortions up to around the 24th week of pregnancy. The decision is considered a milestone. But conservative politicians and opponents of abortion hope that the Supreme Court will declare it as “Roe v. Wade” (Roe vs. Wade) well-known decision from 1973 will be overturned in the coming months.
This could come in the wake of a decision on a Mississippi state abortion law that, like Florida, bans abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. A decision by the constitutional judges is expected in June.
“Today is a disappointing, frustrating day in Florida, especially if you are a woman,” Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried wrote on Twitter.
Several conservative-governed states have already passed tougher abortion laws in anticipation of the Supreme Court decision.
Other Republican-led US states are also trying to largely restrict access to abortions. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a law on Tuesday that would make having an abortion in the state punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 (€92,000).
In Texas, too, the law has been tightened massively
A change in the law in Texas also caused a lot of excitement: a strict abortion law has also been in force there since last year. It bans all abortions once the fetal heartbeat has been determined. This can happen as early as the sixth week of pregnancy. Many women do not even know at this point that they are pregnant. Abortion rights are one of the most controversial socio-political issues in the United States.
With Florida, a state that has long been considered a refuge for involuntarily pregnant women in the southern United States is now tightening its abortion laws. On March 4th, the White House already had one. (With Agencies)
