Will Florida Follow Suit? Federal Court Considers Abortion Law Similar To The One Struck Down by Supreme Court

Florida abortion providers are hopeful following Monday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which struck down a Texas law that would have greatly limited access to legal abortion.

By a 5-3 vote, the justices found the law posed an undue burden to women seeking abortions.

Florida just passed House Bill 1411, with some provisions similar to the Texas law --- such as requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at hospitals within 30 miles of the clinics where they perform abortions.

House Bill 1411 is slated to go into effect on Friday, but it's being challenged in federal court on Wednesday.

Ingrid Delgado of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops says the ruling shouldn't have an impact in Florida.

“We believe that it’s different enough, that it won’t affect the state of Florida. Medical directors were already required to have a transfer agreement, or admitting privileges, within 30 minutes to a hospital. HB 1411 just extended that requirement to all physicians providing abortions.”

But U.S. Representative Gwen Graham, a Tallahassee Democrat, says the regulations go too far.

  U.S. Representative Gwen Graham

“I do believe firmly that this is something the government should stay out of, and it should be a decision between a woman, her God, her family, and those that love and care about her.”

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