'Forced Pregnancy Act': Dem introduces amendment to rename Florida abortion ban

Florida state Rep. Anna V. Eskamani (D) pushed to rename a proposed Florida abortion ban the "Forced Pregnancy Act."

Eskamani offered the amendment on Thursday during a House floor debate on the Pregnancy and Parenting Support Act. If passed, the law would prevent most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. It would also prevent the use of out-of-state funds for travel to another state for an abortion.

Additionally, the act would allocate $30 million to promote pregnancy.

"Members, this amendment renames the bill to the Forced Pregnancy Act, which is basically what it does," she explained. "That's the amendment."

Republicans, however, declined to debate the amendment.

"I will take my two and a half minutes then," Eskamani said. "So, members, the intent of this amendment is to clarify to the great people here in the state of Florida what this bill will actually do."

"It will not only ban abortion at a period where folks do not know they're pregnant at six weeks, but it forces you into pregnancy, and it forces you into pregnancy in a state that has a broken foster care system, a state that has no livable wage, a state that continuously defines social safety nets and leaves families behind," she continued. "That decision should be yours, your family, your doctors, and your faith, and not politicians. We should have no say in this personal private decision that impacts so many people in our state, and so this amendment speaks truth to what this bill will do. It'll force people into pregnancy before they even realize they are pregnant."

Watch the video from The Florida Channel at this link.