South Florida Democrat Lois Frankel is pushing federal legislation to ban states from passing restrictive anti-abortion polices. Her effort is riling abortion opponents.
While abortions are legal nationwide, many state legislatures continue to erect barriers that restrict access to the procedure. Many legislatures have tried to pass policies that require both abortion clinics and women to go through extra steps before they can access or perform the procedure.In Florida Governor Rick Scott signed legislation this year requiring doctors to provide medical care if a fetus comes out alive. Since 2010 more than 190 restrictions have passed. That’s why Congresswoman Frankel introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2013.
“Over the past 40 years we’ve seen an erosion of Roe v. Wade and obstacles – we have the right – but now we see these obstacles that keep us from having the ability to exercise that right”, Frankel said.
Critics say abortion laws need to be left in the hands of states, not the federal government. Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio is pushing a federal bill to ban abortions after twenty weeks.