The Florida House of Representatives turned its attention Tuesday to abortion -- setting the stage to debate and pass six pro-life measures Wednesday, including the most controversial of all, a bill requiring women considering abortions to have an ultrasound performed first. Then-Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed a similar measure on ultrasounds that passed the Legislature in 2010.
Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, who had once led the Christian Coalition of Florida, was at center stage in the House on Tuesday as he took questions about the proposals.
Baxley started with HB 501, his proposal to move fees garnered from the sale of the Choose Life license plates to be redistributed from counties to the Choose Life Foundation which runs pregnancy centers encouraging pregnant women to put their unborn children up for adoption instead of having an abortion.
During questions, Democrats looked to trip Baxley up by asking if revenue raised from the plates would be sent out of state.
This bill does not direct any funds to be sent out of state, insisted Baxley.
Democrats, led by Rep. Mark Pafford of West Palm Beach, unleashed questions to Baxley about the foundation, its procedures, its board and its funding.
Baxley then took questions on his proposal to forward a constitutional amendment to the voters which would ensure the Florida Constitution would not create broader abortion rights than the U.S. Constitution.
Democrats ganged up on Baxleys proposed amendment, hammering him for the language used in it and arguing that his proposal was a drastic alteration of the state Constitution.
We have an explicit right to privacy in our state Constitution, insisted House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders of Key West. Saunders pointed to Article I, Section 23 of the state Constitution, which reads, Every natural person has the right to be let alone and free from governmental intrusion into the persons private life except as otherwise provided herein. This section shall not be construed to limit the publics right of access to public records and meetings as provided by law.
This is about alignment with the U.S. Constitution, maintained Baxley, a statement he repeated under questioning from Saunders and Rep. Jim Waldman, D-Coconut Creek.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Shalimar, introduced a proposal banning the use of federal and state funds to be used for abortions that garnered less debate than either of Baxleys proposals, despite attempts to amend it by Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, that failed on party lines.
The House also readied a measure tweaking and tightening up the parental notification laws for minors seeking abortions, backed by Rep. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, moving that bill onto third reading, debate and final vote for Wednesday.
The House will also tackle the ultrasound measure on Wednesday. The measure passed the House and was backed by freshman Rep. Elizabeth Porter, R-Lake City, who took questions from Democrats on the bill for an extended period, often going to the Republican bullpen to get help from two of the doctors in the House -- Rep. Paige Kreegel of Punta Gorda and Rep. Doc Renuart of Jacksonville.
Rep. Rachel Burgin, R-Riverview, offered a bill clamping down on third-trimester abortions which also garnered questions from Democratic ranks.
Attempts by Democrats to amend the various pro-life bills failed on party-line votes.
Democrats reinforced their opposition to the measures, readying for debate on Wednesday.
Today, women in the state of Florida face a new and outrageous challenge, said freshman Rep. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach. We are confronted by several anti-female legislative proposals that threaten our access to healthy family planning, cancer screening, and birth control. We are faced with new challenges in our struggle to retain the right of our choice for ourselves and our daughters.
I am calling on women across the state to stand united in their opposition to this movement, added Berman. I am asking our doctors and health-care professionals to condemn this threat to womens health, and I am requesting that the sponsors of these bills reconsider this erosion of womens rights.
Pro-life groups ranging from Florida Right-to-Life to the Florida Family Policy Council encouraged members to pray for the passage of the bills and to contact legislators about them.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
