“Legally designating a fetus as a person with rights, including the right to life from the moment of conception diminishes the rights of women and mothers, opening the door for further restriction on abortion and reproductive medicines like IVF,” Ms Brook said in a post on X. “Thankfully, it appears personhood will not be the law of the land in our state.”
With just a few weeks remaining in the current legislative period, our State Senator Erin Grall has made the decision to postpone her fetal personhood bill. This move comes amidst mounting pressure on Republicans, sparked by Alabama’s controversial Supreme Court ruling that deemed frozen embryos as potential children.
Entitled “Civil Liability for the Wrongful Death of an Unborn Child,” the bill aimed to provide parents with financial restitution under specific circumstances following the death of a fetus. However, on Monday, state senators opted to halt the progress of Senate Bill 476.
Concerns regarding the implications of passing the bill have been growing louder. The proposal would have established a fetus as a person from the moment of conception, potentially endangering doctors and individuals assisting in abortions, as well as impacting fertility treatments.
This definition has been the subject of considerable discussion in recent weeks, particularly in the wake of the Alabama Supreme Court ruling, which embraced a similar stance and resulted in the suspension of IVF treatments in that state.
Lauren Book, leader of the Florida State Democratic Party, warned that IVF procedures could be jeopardized if the bill were to pass.
“Legally recognizing a fetus as a person with inherent rights, including the right to life from conception, would undermine the rights of women and mothers, potentially paving the way for further restrictions on abortion and reproductive technologies such as IVF,” Ms. Book stated in a post on X. “Fortunately, it seems that personhood legislation will not be enacted in our state.”
