Florida Senate passes GOP bill banning abortion after 15 weeks, sending it to governor

Protesters against Florida's strict abortion ban bill.
(Image credit: Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

With a vote of 23-15, Florida's Republican-controlled Senate passed a bill on Thursday night that prohibits women from getting abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for victims of rape, incest, or human trafficking. The state's present law restricts abortions after 24 weeks.

The bill, H.B. 5, passed two weeks after the Florida House approved an identical measure. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has indicated he will sign the bill. It is expected to take effect July 1.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.