SB 164 passed out of the Florida Senate Judiciary Committee by one vote, despite bipartisan opposition

Tallahassee – Despite bipartisan opposition, the Florida Senate Judiciary Committee passed SB 164 by a five to four vote, which is part of a long-term strategy by those in power to take away the freedom for Floridians to make decisions about their own pregnancies.

Statement from Michelle Grimsley Shindano, Director of Policy & Government Affairs, Planned Parenthood Florida Action:

“Let’s be clear: This bill isn’t about justice for grieving parents. It’s part of a long-term strategy to strip away our freedom to make personal health care decisions. By expanding the wrongful death statute to treat embryos and fetuses the same as living children, this bill could put patients at risk of losing emergency care or even cancer treatments, simply because they’re pregnant.

“SB 164 could be the beginning of a slippery slope where the state treats embryos and fetuses as ‘persons’ under the law. If embryos and fetuses were granted the same rights as a pregnant patient, that would take away the patient’s right to make health care decisions that are best for their body and specific situation, including in emergencies. That means lawyers, not doctors, will be consulted if that patient needs health care, including in an emergency.

“This bill would also open domestic violence survivors, and those supporting them, to potential civil liability to their abuser for seeking abortion care. In other states where laws like this have been enacted, similar provisions have been used by abusers to harass and maintain control over their victims and to harass health care providers who offer care to survivors of abuse.

“This dangerous bill will make Florida an even less friendly state for OB-GYN care, increase the shortage of OB-GYNs, and will open the door to further expansions in the law pitting the rights of embryos and fetuses against the rights of the pregnant patient.”