STATEMENT: Florida Senator Shevrin Jones on Committee Passage of 15-Week Abortion Ban

Today, the Florida Senate Health Policy Committee heard and passed a 15-week abortion ban (Senate Bill 146) out of committee, along party lines.

Florida Senator Shevrin Jones (SD-35), member of the Health Policy Committee, released the following statement:

Time and again, Florida Republicans have made it abundantly clear that they would rather undermine the rights and freedoms of the people of this state than focus on the kitchen table issues that actually impact everyday lives.

Health and medical professionals across the state have voiced opposition to this dangerous bill as it would inflict great harm on already vulnerable, marginalized communities, including Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ people, who already confront overwhelming barriers when seeking healthcare. A majority of Floridians also disagree with this harmful legislation because they know that gutting people’s decision-making power when it comes to personal medical autonomy is not the answer.

I have always and will always fight for reproductive health and the constitutional rights of all Floridians because everyone deserves the freedom to make their own decisions about their bodies and lives. Politicians and the government have no business interfering in people’s ability to access quality healthcare.