DeSantis Vows to Protect Women’s Rights: No Criminalization of Abortion in Florida

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) recently made a statement indicating that he does not support making abortion a criminal act in his state.

In an interview with CBS News, DeSantis clarified, “We have no criminal penalty. The penalties are for the physician.”

While Florida’s six-week abortion ban is currently pending due to a lawsuit, it includes provisions that would allow the state to press felony charges against “any person who willfully performs or actively participates in a termination of pregnancy.”

DeSantis made it clear that these potential penalties would be directed towards medical providers, not towards women seeking abortion care. He firmly stated, “I am absolutely not in favor of criminalizing abortion for women, and it will not happen in Florida.”

As a presidential candidate, DeSantis has yet to specify whether he would endorse a national abortion ban like the pending six-week law in his state or the existing 15-week law.

He shared, “I support pro-life policies. I’ll be a pro-life president. But at the same time, I’ve got to chart the course and be honest with people about, Okay, how do you advance the ball like we did in Florida? And the way you do that is really bottom up.”

Abortion has become a significant topic on the 2024 GOP campaign trail. While all Republican candidates position themselves as anti-abortion, some have expressed support for national bans, while others have not.

Notably, Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and former Vice President Mike Pence are among the candidates who have stated their support for a national 15-week abortion ban.