The Florida Congress on Thursday approved a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a proposal backed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis is expected to sign the bill into law. Currently, Florida prohibits abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
A six-week ban would hand DeSantis a crucial political victory among Republican primary voters as he prepares to launch a run for president based on his image as an upholder of conservative standards.
The policy would also have broader implications for abortion access throughout the South, following last year’s US Supreme Court ruling overturning the Roe v. Wade and in which the decisions on the termination of pregnancy are left to the states. Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi have banned abortions at all stages of pregnancy, while Georgia bans it after heart activity can be detected, which occurs at about six weeks.
