TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — About a year and a half since Florida lawmakers passed the six-week abortion limit ― the strictest abortion law in state history ― lawmakers want to take restrictions even further.
As the 2026 legislative session kicks into gear, at least two bills have been filed that reignite Florida’s abortion debate.
Additionally, anti-abortion groups were in the Capitol on Wednesday, alleging that the state isn’t doing enough to enforce what is on the books.
The groups are supporting new abortion-related bills that would allow wrongful death lawsuits for an unborn child and one that allows families to sue anyone who provides or even tries to provide pregnancy termination services ― including the so-called “Plan B” medicines ― for up to two years.
“That is our highest priority, because the criminal penalties alone don’t seem to be sufficient to be deterring illegal conduct,” Andrew Shirvell, with Florida Voice for the Unborn, said.
The House Bill had its first reading on Tuesday. The Senate side just filed last week.
“We’re going to see where the Senate is on that,” Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said.
One supporter of abortion rights, during a hearing, called the bill “an outrageous overstep, an abuse of power.”
In the first week of the session, these latest bills don’t have the attention of the majority of Floridians who back a woman’s right to choose.
With the so-called “fetal heartbeat” bill, Florida lawmakers passed a law restricting pregnancy termination to the first six weeks, with some exceptions, that took effect in May 2024.
State records show terminations declining about 20,000 compared to the year before, but the anti-abortion groups are convinced the numbers should be lower.
They’re now demanding that state agencies make sure ― and make arrests.
“They were maintaining 50, 60, 70% of the abortion level that they did when the heartbeat law was not in effect,” Shirvell said.
Meanwhile, the bill allowing for wrongful death lawsuits for the unborn is set to go to the House floor on Wednesday.
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