BREAKING: Today, the Florida House voted to pass HB 1517, which could expose doctors providing abortion care to civil lawsuits for damages. The bill would also incentivize civil lawsuits against the friends and family members who supported a pregnant person’s efforts to access abortion care. Let’s be clear: This bill is part of a broader, deceptive strategy to intimidate abortion providers, patients, and even their loved ones through the threat of civil litigation. The sponsor purports that this bill is simply about providing compensation to pregnant couples who lose their pregnancy, but this type of compensation is already allowed under existing Florida law. What Florida law doesn’t cover – and what this bill would do – is allow any person who impregnates another to bring a cause of action against health care providers, friends, and family who support a woman’s efforts to access abortion care. No one should have to fear being sued for damages for helping a friend or loved one access an abortion. This is government interference at its worst. (fb)

These bills would add unreasonable bureaucratic hurdles, set unrealistic deadlines to submit petitions, ban important quality control measures, and threaten volunteers who collect petition signatures with felony charges and massive fines. (fb)