Florida

Florida Senate passes 6-week abortion ban backed by DeSantis

Published

1 year ago

April 4, 2023

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Senate on Monday approved a bill to ban abortions after six weeks, a measure supported by Gov. Ron DeSantis as the Republican prepares to launch his expected presidential candidacy.

The vote prompted demonstrations at the state’s capital that resulted in the arrest of the leader of the Florida Democratic Party and a state senator by city police.

The proposal must still be approved by the House before it reaches the governor’s desk. Florida currently prohibits abortions after 15 weeks.

A six-week ban would more closely align Florida with the abortion restrictions of other Republican-controlled states and give DeSantis a political win on an issue important with GOP primary voters ahead of his potential White House run.

Florida Democrats and groups advocating for abortion rights say this proposal disproportionally affects low-income women and people of color.

The party said that Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, and Lauren Book, Florida’s senate minority leader, were arrested late Monday at a sit-in protest outside the Florida State Capitol. Images shared on social media showed the two women and other demonstrators as they are handcuffed by police officers.

In a news release, the Tallahassee Police Department said that protesters against the abortion ban were told they would have to leave after sunset, but 11 people refused to go and were arrested for trespassing. They did not identify them by name.

The bill would have larger implications for abortion access throughout the South, as the nearby states of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi prohibit the procedure at all stages of pregnancy and Georgia bans it after cardiac activity can be detected, which is around six weeks.

“Bodily autonomy should not give a person the permission to kill an innocent human being. We live in a time where the consequences of our actions are an afterthought and convenience has been substitution for responsibility, and this is unacceptable when it comes to the protection of the most vulnerable,” said Sen. Erin Grall, a Republican who sponsored the bill.

The proposal allows exceptions to save the life of the woman and exceptions in the case of pregnancy caused by rape or incest until 15 weeks of pregnancy. In those cases, a woman would have to provide documentation such as a medical record, restraining order or police report. DeSantis has called the rape and incest provisions sensible.

It would require that the drugs used in medication-induced abortions — which make up the majority of those provided nationally — could be dispensed only in person by a physician.

The new bill would only take effect if the state’s current 15-week ban is upheld in an ongoing legal challenge that is before the state Supreme Court.

Republicans control a supermajority in the Legislature and have largely focused on DeSantis priorities during the ongoing legislative session. DeSantis is expected to announce his presidential candidacy after the session ends in May, with his potential White House run in part buoyed by the conservative policies approved in the statehouse this year.

Democrats have conceded that they cannot stop the proposal from moving forward.

During debate earlier on Monday, Democratic Sen. Book urged women to contact her office directly, reading her phone number aloud on the Senate floor, if they are considering getting an abortion and need to connect with healthcare providers.

“Please don’t take matters into your own hands. Do not put your safety at risk. No back-alley abortions. There are people and funds that will help you. No matter where you live, no matter how desperate of a situation you are in, no matter how helpless it may seem. I promise, you are not alone. Call my office,” Book said.

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Florida

Rick Scott for Florida campaign announced the fourth and final ad as part of a multi-million-dollar Hispanic ad buy

Published

3 weeks ago

April 26, 2024

Willie David

TAMPA, Fla. – Today, the Rick Scott for Florida campaign announced the fourth and final ad as part of a multi-million-dollar Hispanic ad buy.

The fourth ad, “Verdad” is running in multiple TV and radio markets in Florida and statewide across multiple digital platforms as part of the seven-figure buy. “Socialismo,” which was announced last week, is also continuing to run on TV.

The ad discusses how many schools in America are pushing socialism on our children, and how we need to instead teach them the truth about our values as Americans. While Joe Biden, the Democrats and Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell continue to embrace socialism and turn a blind eye to dangerous dictators in our hemisphere, Senator Scott has been clear that socialism has no place in America, and especially not in our schools. He remains committed to standing with every Floridian who wants a freer and more prosperous future, and every child who deserves to be taught the truth: America is the greatest nation in the world.

Watch the ad in English HERE.

Watch the ad in Spanish HERE.

Watch the ad above and see the full script here:

As parents, we teach values to our children, the difference between right and wrong, truth and lies.

But then we send our kids to school where some radical socialist teacher doesn’t teach them math or English.

No, they’re taught that men can have babies and become women, and that we should worship the god of Government, not the God who created us.

That is socialism.

I’m Rick Scott, our schools should never undermind our values.

I approve this message.

____________________________________

Como padres le enseñamos valores a nuestros hijos. Lo que está bien y lo que está mal. La verdad y la mentira.

Pero cuando van al colegio maestros socialistas no enseñan matemático o inglés.

No, enseñan que un hombre puede tener un bebé y convertirse en mujer. Que el gobierno debe ser el todo.

¡Eso es socialismo!

Soy Rick Scott, las escuelas no deben socavar nuestros valores.

Yo apruebo este mensaje.

____________________________________

The first ad in the series, Valores, can be seen in English HERE or Spanish HERE.

The second ad in the series, Libertad, can be seen in English HERE or Spanish HERE.

The third ad in the series, Socialismo, can be seen in English HERE or Spanish HERE.

La campaña de Rick Scott para Florida lanza el anuncio final de su campaña publicitaria Hispana multimillonaria

TAMPA, Fla. – La campaña de Rick Scott para Florida anunció el cuarto y último anuncio hoy como parte de una compra multimillonaria de anuncios hispanos.

El cuarto anuncio, “Verdad“, se está transmitiendo en múltiples mercados de televisión y radio en Florida y en todo el estado a través de múltiples plataformas digitales como parte de la compra de siete cifras. “Socialismo“, que fue anunciado la semana pasada, también continúa transmitiéndose en televisión.

El anuncio cuenta cómo muchas escuelas en Estados Unidos están promoviendo el socialismo a nuestros hijos, y cómo en cambio debemos enseñarles la verdad sobre nuestros valores como estadounidenses. Mientras Joe Biden, los demócratas y la Congresista Debbie Mucarsel-Powell continúan abrazando el socialismo y haciendo la vista gorda ante dictadores peligrosos en nuestro hemisferio, el Senador Scott ha dejado claro que el socialismo no tiene lugar en Estados Unidos, y mucho menos en nuestras escuelas. El Senador mantiene su compromiso de apoyar a cada floridano que desee un futuro más libre y próspero, y a todo niño que merece ser enseñado con la verdad: Estados Unidos es la mejor nación del mundo.

Vea el anuncio en inglés AQUÍ o arriba y el guión completo a continuación:

Como padres le enseñamos valores a nuestros hijos. Lo que está bien y lo que está mal. La verdad y la mentira.

Pero cuando van al colegio maestros socialistas no enseñan matemático o inglés.

No, enseñan que un hombre puede tener un bebé y convertirse en mujer. Que el gobierno debe ser el todo.

¡Eso es socialismo!

Soy Rick Scott, las escuelas no deben socavar nuestros valores.

Yo apruebo este mensaje.

____________________________________

El primer anuncio de la serie, Valores, se puede ver en inglés AQUÍ o en español AQUÍ.

El segundo anuncio de la serie, Libertad, se puede ver en inglés AQUÍ o en español AQUÍ.

El tercer anuncio de la serie, Socialismo, se puede ver en inglés AQUÍ o en español AQUÍ.

Florida

Vice President Kamala Harris to Highlight Fight for Reproductive Freedom in Jacksonville

Published

3 weeks ago

April 25, 2024

FNN NEWS

On Wednesday, May 1, Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Jacksonville, Florida for a campaign event focused on the stakes of the election for reproductive freedom across the country. The event will take place on the day the state is set to implement an abortion ban even more extreme than the one currently in effect. The Vice President will discuss the harms inflicted by state abortion bans and continue to make the case that “Donald Trump did this.”

The event comes on the heels of an event by President Joe Biden in Tampa, Florida, which also focused on reproductive freedom.

This will be the Vice President’s fourth campaign event this month focused on reproductive freedom. She kicked off her “Fight For Reproductive Freedoms” tour in January.

This will also be the Vice President’s 12th trip to Florida since taking office. She last visited the state in March, when she discussed gun violence prevention in Parkland. In January 2023, she visited Tallahassee to mark the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision and discuss reproductive freedom.

WHAT: Vice President Harris to highlight reproductive freedom in Florida

WHEN: Wednesday, May 1

WHERE: Jacksonville, Florida

Florida

MAKE-A-WISH: 4-Year-Old-Boy Stone Hicks Becomes Orlando Police Officer For A Day

Published

3 weeks ago

April 24, 2024

FNN NEWS

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) – Make-A-Wish of Central and Northern Florida, Orlando City Soccer, Orlando Magic and Orlando Police Department teamed up Wednesday morning to make a dream come true for a 4-year-old boy wish of becoming a police officer for a day.

Two years after battling kidney failure and receiving a life-saving kidney transplant from his father, Stone was given the ultimate experience of being a police officer for a day with the Orlando Police Department.

Additional coverage of Officer Stone