Last week, Florida legislators state Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Doral, and state Rep. Tommy Gregory, R-Sarasota, filed the “Florida Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” to prohibit the killing of unborn children who are capable of feeling pain.
“We have an obligation to be the voice of the unborn, who are too often not valued as individuals with the right to chart their own life,” said Rodriguez. “It is vital that the state of Florida takes action to protect these innocent lives.”
If passed, these bills would prohibit abortions where an unborn child has reached the in-utero developmental threshold at which the child is able to feel pain. The legislators pointed to evidence putting this time at approximately 20 weeks gestational age.
“As a society, we value the dignity of life. This is why we celebrate births, condemn murder, care for our elderly, and mourn our dead,” said Gregory. “The question we must ask ourselves is whether we value all lives equally, or if some lives are worth more than others, depending on the age of the person. Do all lives really matter? Florida must take the bold stance of answering that question with a resounding ‘yes.’”
The bill, if passed, would take effect on July 1.
State Rep. David Borrero, R-Sweetwater, is cosponsoring Gregory’s bill.
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