Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida’s abortion ban applies to medical practitioners who perform abortions.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sept. 13 vowed not to support criminalizing women who receive abortions in his state.
The Republican, who is running in the 2024 presidential nomination race, made the comments in an interview with CBS News.
“We have no criminal penalty,” said Mr. DeSantis, who signed a Florida law in April to ban abortions after six weeks. “The penalties are for the physician,” he added.
Florida’s six-week abortion ban is not currently in effect as legal challenges play out in court against a longer 15-week ban that is being challenged by Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and others.
The legislation, known as Senate Bill 300 or the Heartbeat Protection Act, prohibits physicians from “knowingly performing or inducing a termination of pregnancy after the gestational age of the fetus is determined to be more than 6 weeks, rather than 15 weeks.”
However, the bill also states that “any person who willfully performs or actively participates in a termination of pregnancy” may also face third-degree felony charges.
DeSantis Defends Ban
The legislation does include exceptions for cases where the abortion is “necessary to save the pregnant woman’s life or avert a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman other than a psychological condition.” In those cases, a written determination must be made by two physicians if possible, or one physician when another physician is not available for consultation.
Women are also exempt from the ban if their pregnancy has not yet reached the third trimester and the unborn child has a “fatal fetal abnormality.” This must also be certified in writing by two physicians, according to the legislation.
Despite the wording, Mr. DeSantis insisted Wednesday that the bill text is not aimed at women and only the physicians or abortion providers.
