Abortion bill clears key committee
Legislation would mandate minors obtain permission
TALLAHASSEE — In a meeting where God and government intrusion were invoked, a Florida Senate committee approved a bill Tuesday that would require minors to obtain permission from their parents before having abortions.
The 6-3 vote by the Senate
Health Policy Committee came after a hearing that lasted more than 90 minutes. Chairwoman Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, tried to balance testimony between people on both sides, but the legislation (SB 404) sparked passionate debate.
“[God] does say that the shedding of innocent blood is an abomination. And it brings a curse upon the land and upon the individual that stands for that,” said Wendy Gallegos, a pastor from Marion County who supported the measure. “So I would just encourage you today to really, prayerfully consider your vote because not only does it affect the state of Florida, it affects you individually and your family, what you do with this situation.”
But Kara Gross, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida legislative director, said the measure would place an undue burden on the constitutional right of young women to have abortions.
“If a parent won’t consent and a minor isn’t able to go to court or isn’t able to convince a judge, under the bill the child would be forced to have a child,” Gross said. “No child should be forced to have a child against her will. There is no greater governmental intrusion.”
Florida law already requires parents to be notified if their daughters plan to have abortions.
The law also provides for a judicial waiver process that allows pregnant teenagers to circumvent doing that.
But the bill, sponsored by Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, would go further by requiring parental consent, rather than notification. It would allow exemptions for teens who already are parents or are in medical emergencies.
Parental-consent bills were considered during the 2019 legislative session, but the issue stalled in the Senate and did not pass. Senate President Bill Galvano, however, has indicated his support for the measure during the upcoming 2020 session.
He told reporters in October, “I have said, ‘yes,’ that’s something that I have an interest in and have looked at.”
A House health care panel already has passed its version of the parental-consent bill, and that measure is poised to be considered by the full House during the 2020 session, which begins Jan. 14.