Another one of those just when you think it can’t get any worse… Florida HB 1449 and its companion SB 2446.
Under the rubric of family friendly “parental consent,” these bills are designed to create more obstacles for teenage women seeking abortions. The Miami Herald reports:
The measure would require a judge to determine by the elevated standard of “clear and convincing evidence” that a minor is “sufficiently mature” to choose termination. Another provision prevents so-called judge shopping by requiring a pregnant girl to make the petition only at the local courthouse; requires a parent’s signature get notarized for consent; and allows longer delays, up to three weeks, for final approval.
These provisions, are clearly intended to create even greater state ownership of the female body than already exists in Florida. If that is possible. Once normalized with teens, this ownership will eventually extend to legally adult women, who as we know, are all too stupid or “dangerous” to be trusted to handle their pregnancies in a private and autonomous manner without the supervision of the state.
But hold on! There’s more!
Last Tuesday, a really really really special provision was added to the House version taking women a few steps closer to becoming brood mares for the adoption industry. We can’t find the amendment online yet, but the Herald reports:
The House Criminal and Civil Justice Policy Committee added a measure to mandate a judge determine whether a minor is aware of the “shortage of unborn babies available for adoption.” It passed 11-4, but defied party lines with a moderate Republican and a Catholic Democrat switching sides.
We are unaware of any “unborn babies” currently adopted in Florida We have no doubt, though, that the folks from Florida Family Action (and their friends at the bastardphobic Family Research Council and Focus on the Family), and Florida Catholic Conference pimping this crazy crap, can come up with another law that mandates fetuses be “aborted” into the bodies of the desperate and childless or grown in artificial wombs to be hatched for the market.
You were right, BD. I like it NOT. But, the sad, sick fact is that I am not surprised. This state is a right-wing, anti-choice, adoption industry-friendly HELL. I can’t wait to leave it. But first I will write a letter to the Orlando Sentinel, which also has a bit in it about this, to tell them just what I think. This might be one they won’t print.
If parents should be informed that their daughter is seeking an abortion, should they not also be informed that she is seeking to surrender her child, or that she has Safe Havened her baby after giving birth alone? After all, she might need medical care.
Love the use of photo from Handmaids Tale. Very appropriate.
Appalling but not surprising..how far will it go and how far will women let it go?