Florida, United States: The Republican-dominated Florida legislature has approved a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a proposal supported by the state’s governor, Mr. Ron DeSantis, as he prepares for an expected presidential run.

Mr. DeSantis, who signed the bill into law, commented that “we are proud to support life and family in the state of Florida.” Florida currently prohibits abortions after 15 weeks.

A six-week ban would give Mr. DeSantis a key political victory among Republican primary voters as he prepares to launch a presidential campaign built on his national brand as a conservative standard bearer.

“We have the opportunity to lead the national debate about the importance of protecting life and giving every child the opportunity to be born and find his or her purpose,” the Republican representative, Ms. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, who carried the bill in the house, remarked.

Florida’s six-week ban will take effect only if the state’s current 15-week ban is upheld in an ongoing legal challenge that is before the state supreme court, which is controlled by conservatives.

Democrats and abortion-rights groups have criticised Florida’s proposal as extreme because many women do not yet realise they are pregnant until after six weeks.

The bill includes some exceptions, including to save the woman’s life. Abortions for pregnancies involving rape or incest would be allowed until 15 weeks of pregnancy, provided a woman has documentation such as a restraining order or police report. DeSantis has called the rape and incest prohibitions sensible.

Drugs used in medication-induced abortions, which make up the majority of those provided nationally, could be dispensed only in person or by a physician under the Florida bill. Separately, nationwide access to the abortion pill mifepristone is being challenged in court.

“I cannot think of any bill that’s going to provide more protections to more people who are more vulnerable than this piece of legislation,” Republican representative Mr. Mike Beltran commented.

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