Abortion Activists (Unsplash) A new six-week restriction on abortion took effect this week, representing a seismic shift in abortion access
A new six-week restriction on abortion took effect this week, representing a seismic shift in abortion access for Floridians.
Meanwhile, Florida health-care regulators Thursday released emergency rules related to treating medical conditions that pose dangers to the lives of pregnant women or unborn children.
The law went into effect Wednesday, severely limiting abortion access to abortion for women in the state and across the Southeast.
Read: State Of Florida Issues Abortion Rules
“It’s been pretty chaotic,” Michelle Quesada, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida, told The News Service of Florida on Monday.
Planned Parenthood clinics were “packed” in the days leading up to the six-week limit, Quesada said. While providers rushed to see as many patients as possible before Wednesday, abortion-rights supporters also were bolstering efforts to help women travel out-of-state to obtain the procedure.
The Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023 approved the six-week limit, building on a 2022 law that banned abortions after 15 weeks. The Florida Supreme Court recently upheld the 2022 law, also clearing the way for the six-week limit to take effect.
The limitation means that the closest place for women in Florida to get abortions will be at least a day’s travel by car.
Read: VP Kamala Harris Puts Spotlight On Abortion Politics In Florida
Palm Beach County-based organization Emergency Medical Assistance, or EMA, has felt the pressure as it seeks to provide financial aid and other services to women seeking abortions. Funds are used to cover the costs of flights, hotels, transportation and meals, said Jessica Hatem, executive director of EMA.
“This is kind of a we’re-all-holding-our-breath moment that we’re in,” Hatem said. “It’s going to be a huge lift. No one should have to leave their community to obtain an abortion, but it’s not as if people’s needs are going to go unmet.”
The 2023 law was titled the “Heartbeat Protection Act” because supporters said a fetal heartbeat can be detected at about six weeks.
Lawmakers also have provided money to centers across the state that offer services to pregnant women and try to prevent abortions.
Read: Florida Judge Sets Hearing On Abortion Financial ‘Statement’
“We are able to embrace them and help them,” Grazie Christie, medical director of the Pregnancy Help Centers of the Archdiocese of Miami, told the News Service. “Many times, all they need really is support, like the spiritual, psychological, and loving support of someone who says, ‘It’s hard, but we are here for you, and we can help you.’”
Opponents of the six-week limit hope it will help galvanize support for a ballot proposal this November aimed at putting abortion rights in the state Constitution.
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