Florida News Straight From the Source
Olivia Babis, Senior Public Policy Analyst, Disability Rights Florida:
“It is claimed that this bill is about valuing the lives of people with disabilities. Then I would pose the question, where is the rest of the bill? [Read more…] about Health care and disability rights groups respond to House passage of abortion ban
Advocates will gather Thursday in front of the Florida Supreme Court to call on Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio to protect Floridians’ reproductive rights and access to health care by rejecting President Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. [Read more…] about Reproductive rights advocates to call for rejection of Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to Supreme Court
After being repeatedly disrespected, shamed and downright harassed by elected officials, advocates are boycotting the third committee stop for House Bill 1429 and instead speaking out about the dangers of this legislation at a press conference scheduled to take place during tomorrow’s House Health and Human Services Committee where the bill will be heard.
Press conference about the dangers of HB 1429
February 15, 11:00AM
Outside of House Office Building
Capitol Complex
Tallahassee, FL
Speakers:
Missy Wesolowski, Florida Planned Parenthood
Barbara DeVane, Florida NOW
Rep. Amy Mercado (D-Orlando)
“The decision to terminate a pregnancy is a difficult and personal one for every woman,” said Missy Wesolowski, Legislative Director for Planned Parenthood. “Whether it is a woman telling her personal story or a doctor sharing their professional opinion, every citizen who testifies before a legislative committee deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.”
At House Bill 1429’s first committee stop, one committee member ended up having to apologize repeatedly after the way he treated a woman who was courageous enough to testify about her own second trimester abortion due to a severe fetal anomaly.
At the bill’s next stop in the House Judiciary Committee last week, another member referred to abortion as an “execution”. While still another said he wouldn’t even refer to OB-GYNs who performed abortions as doctors but only as “abortionists.” Later in the proceeding, another committee member decided even that was too good and that “monster” or “baby killer” would be more appropriate.
“After all of that, at the end of the hearing, this same committee member had the audacity to chastise opponents of the bill who waved in opposition for not testifying,” said Barbara DeVane, lobbyist for Florida NOW. “This shaming of women is a perfect example of why these politicians should leave decisions about the best and most appropriate medical care to women and their doctors.”
Sadly, these recent examples are far from exceptions but rather are par for the course for hearings on bills related to regulating abortion.
Similar bans were passed in 2015 in Kansas and Oklahoma, in 2016 in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia, and in Texas and Arkansas in 2017. All have been challenged in court, except for the bans in Mississippi and West Virginia, where the bans are not expected to have an impact on abortion services.
“Method Ban legislation like HB 1429 has no medical basis, puts women’s health at serious risk and represents yet another ideological attack on a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion,” said Wesolowski.
While the Women’s March on Washington was happening Saturday, Floridians joined the Women’s March on Tallahassee. The grassroots effort culminated in a rally with speakers including civic leaders, women’s advocates and others at the FAMU recreation center.
“These marches in Tallahassee, in Washington and around our state and nation are sending a bold message to the new administration and Congress in Washington, to Florida Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature, and to the world – that women’s rights are human rights,” said Lillian Tamayo, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida.
The Women’s March on Tallahassee was a show of solidarity with women and families across the state for the protection of women’s rights, health and safety. The event was inclusive with all genders, races, ages, religions and sexual orientations invited to participate.
“We envision a future where each of us will be treated with dignity, respect and compassion,” said Tamayo. “In the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice who have come before us, we stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us means defending all of us.”
“The rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us, including immigrants, Muslims and those of diverse religious faiths, LGBT Americans, Native people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, and survivors of sexual assault,” said Barbara Zdravecky, President and CEO for Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. “We will not tolerate hatred, racism and sexism and we will fight for respect, dignity and justice for all,” she added.
In addition to the March on Tallahassee, Floridians gathered in solidarity for sister marches in Key West, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Naples, West Palm Beach and Miami.
Please visit www.fappa.org for more information.
Below, please find a statement from Laura Goodhue, Executive Director of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates on the introduction of a 20-week abortion ban by Rep. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), HB 203:
“This bill poses a serious threat to women’s health, ignoring women’s individual needs and circumstances. This kind of legislation seeks to deny a woman the dignity to make personal, private decisions.
“However we feel about abortion at different points in a pregnancy, a woman’s health should drive important medical decisions – not political agendas. Politicians are not medical experts and this is not an area where they should be interfering. Throughout her pregnancy, a woman must be able to make her own decisions with the advice of the health care professional she trusts.
“We’ve seen what happens when politicians stand in the way of women’s health and interfere in these deeply personal medical decisions. In states that have passed laws like this, some women and their families have been put into unimaginable situations – needing to end a pregnancy for serious medical reasons, but unable to do so.
“At the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, we believe that all people – no matter where they live or how much money they have – should have access to affordable health care. We will continue to work every day to ensure Planned Parenthood patients get the highest quality care, without judgment and without stigma – no matter what.”
What do the experts say?
The American Medical Association “strongly condemn(s) any interference by the government or other third parties that causes a physician to compromise his or her medical judgment as to what information or treatment is in the best interest of the patient.”
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists opposes the 20-week abortion ban, calling it part of legislative proposals “that are not based on sound science (and that) attempt to prescribe how physicians should care for their patients.”
Please visit www.fappa.org for more information.
