Florida Chief Circuit Judge Charles Francis blocked an intrusive bill on Tuesday that was signed by unpopular Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), reported CBS News. The bill would have required a one-day waiting period for women seeking to have an abortion.
“We are very pleased that the court saw this law for what it is: an unconstitutional attack on the right of Florida women to make their own choices about their healthcare, including abortion,” said Nancy Abudu, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida (ACLU) Legal Director.
Gov. Scott signed the controversial bill into law last month. The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) and the ACLU sued Scott after he signed the bill, arguing that it violates the privacy guaranteed by the Florida state constitution. The groups also argued that the law interferes with a woman’s right to an abortion.
During debates in May, Florida Democrats said the law was a concerted effort to impede upon the reproductive rights of women, while Republicans said women should wait before making “such a major decision.” The bill is a prime example of GOP hypocrisy. The Republicans constantly argue for smaller government, but they are the first to say the government should dictate what people do in their private lives.
The GOP pretends to care about the well-being of women, but it really wants to create hurdles for women who want to exercise their reproductive rights. Democrats argue that waiting-period laws are “patronizing” and lack medical justification.
“Women are fully capable of making thoughtful decisions about their lives, families, and health care, and this ruling will keep them from being second-guessed or delayed by politicians who presume to know better,” said Autumn Katz, staff attorney at the CRR.
“We will continue to fight this demeaning law until the courts permanently strike it down and ensure no Florida woman is ever forced to wait for purely political reasons to get the health care she needs,” continued Katz.
Gov. Scott and other Florida Republicans tried to trample on the rights of women, but justice prevailed with Judge Francis seeing through the party’s thinly-veiled attempt to undermine those rights.
