Florida abortion waiting period faces lawsuit

Two rights groups are suing the state of Florida over a new law that would require women to wait at least 24 hours after their first clinic visit before having an abortion.

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights said Thursday that the law creates unnecessary hardships for women.

“It’s clear that the sole purpose of this law is to make it more difficult for a woman who has decided to have an abortion to get one, and to punish and discriminate against those who do,” Renee Paradis, an ACLU senior staff, said in a press release.

The ACLU argued that the law forces women to make a redundant trip, which would require extra days off work, additional child care arrangements and more travel, as well as burdening women with a stressful waiting period.

Florida’s approval of the measure comes amid a wave of anti-abortion laws passed in a number of states.

Republicans who supported the bill said they hoped it would cause women to reflect on their decisions and decide not to end their pregnancies. The state legislature approved the bill in April, with most Republicans voting for the measure and most Democrats opposed.

“This means women will be empowered to make fully informed decisions,” said state Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, who sponsored the legislation. “It’s just common courtesy to have face-to-face conversation with your doctor about such an important decision.”

But the complaint argues that the law illegally singles out abortion as the only type of medical care for which a delay is mandated by Florida law. It also notes that legal abortion is one of the safest procedures available.

The ACLU called the requirement of a waiting period “offensive” to women.

“It’s flat-out offensive. A woman who is seeking an abortion has already carefully considered her decision,” Paradis said. “She doesn’t need politicians to create additional hurdles because they disagree with her.”

The law does not compel doctors to give women any additional information; a prior law already requires doctors to provide patients with information regarding risks of abortion and of carrying a pregnancy to term, the ACLU said in the release.

The group cited new polling that showed that most Americans identified as “pro-choice,” and that 7 out of 10 respondents believed that a woman who has decided to get an abortion should be able to do so without additional hurdles.

The plaintiffs in the case are Bread and Roses, which is a Gainesville reproductive health care provider, and Medical Students for Choice, an organization dedicated to making reproductive health care a part of standard medical education and training.

The law, signed Thursday by Florida Gov. Rick Scott, is set to go into effect on July 1. Currently 27 states require a waiting period for an abortion, with several states requiring as long as 72-hour waits, said the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks reproductive policy. 

With wire services