TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida's six-week abortion ban is one step closer to reality after it passed the state Senate and now heads to the House.
From protesters inside the upper chamber to Florida democratic leaders getting arrested, emotions are running high as the proposed six-week abortion ban in Florida inches forward.
"Anger and grief. Anger and grief for all of the women that will be really hurt by this," said Joan Waitkevicz, who leads the Democratic Women's Club of Palm Beach County.
Waitkevicz has been fighting against the Heartbeat Protection Act, which would ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest, human trafficking, a fatal fetal condition, or to save the mother's life.
Supporters said six weeks is about the time a heartbeat is detected and a life should be protected.
But opponents argue many women don't know they are pregnant that early, and it should be their choice.
"They are trapped. They are literally trapped," Waitkevicz said.
Sen. Erin Grall, R-Fort Pierce, sponsored the bill.
"Bodily autonomy should not give a person permission to kill an innocent human being," Grall said during a recent legislative meeting. "We live in a time where the consequences of our actions are an afterthought and convenience has been substituted for responsibility. And this is unacceptable when it comes to the protection of the most vulnerable."
Waitkevicz hopes that if this becomes law, it won't lead to women making dangerous choices to pursue an abortion.
"There are women's emergency funds throughout the state who are able to be contacted by women who know they are more than six weeks pregnant and have been turned away to help them access a safe, legal abortion out of state," Waitkevicz said.
Waitkevicz added that those funds will have to become the first line of defense.
