Dear Friend,

Last week, I participated in a committee hearing where HB 5, a 15-week abortion ban, overcame its first hurdle to becoming law in Florida. This is an extreme bill and there is no such thing as a reasonable abortion ban.

Over the course of the pandemic, Republicans in the state legislature spoke time and time again about freedom, yet they are now preparing to strip freedom away from more than half of Florida’s population. Despite the fact that this legislation would currently be considered unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade, Republican lawmakers are determined to get it to the governor’s desk.

This battle is far from lost. We can fight back against HB 5. You can contact the members of the Florida House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee and ask them to vote NO on ANY new restrictions on abortion. Click here for a guide that explains how.

Our reproductive rights are under attack. That’s why I support Ruth’s List. They are committed to electing Democratic pro-choice women at all levels of state and local government in Florida.

Abortion is healthcare, and we must continue to fight for a person’s right to make personal decision about their pregnancy. This bill puts the government in between a person and their doctor, their family, and their beliefs. We can’t stay silent when the rights of so many are at risk.

If HB 5 were allowed to go into effect today, the closest option for abortion for a Floridian who’s passed 15 weeks of pregnancy would be North Carolina. The economic barriers of doing that are insurmountable for a large number of people.

Even if HB 5 fails, Republicans will undoubtedly try again in the future. The best protection we have is to elect representatives who will speak up in support of reproductive freedom in Florida. Ruth’s list is working towards that goal.

If we work together, we can continue to move Florida forward, not backwards.

Onward,

Representative Anna V. Eskamani