I’m sure you’ve heard, Governor DeSantis just signed the 15-week abortion ban — with no exceptions for rape, incest, or human trafficking — into law.
This politically-motivated move by the Governor comes at the expense of our freedom to make our own health care decisions. Like all abortion bans, this bill has nothing to do with health or medicine. It strips Floridians of our rights and decreases access to care for the most marginalized communities.
Once the bill takes effect on July 1st, the closest place for any Floridian seeking abortion care after 15 weeks will be North Carolina. This will disproportionately harm those who live in rural areas, those who don’t have the financial means to travel or pay for child care, and people of color who already face inadequate access to health care.
Very soon, we may no longer be able to rely on federal law as a form of protection against state-level abortion bans. The future of Roe v. Wade is uncertain, and the conservative majority Supreme Court has already indicated their willingness to overturn 50 years of precedent on abortion rights.
