Deltona, FL - A local legislator files a new proposal for the 2022 Legislative Session that mimics an abortion bill recently filed in the state of Texas.
State Rep. Webster Barnaby of Deltona’s proposal, House Bill 167 (HB 167), is a 40-page bill that would require physicians to test for the presence of a fetal heartbeat, which happens 5 ½ weeks to 6 weeks into a pregnancy. Under this bill, if a heartbeat is detected—or if a doctor does not test for a heartbeat—physicians are prohibited from aborting the pregnancy.
The bill, however, would allow abortions if “there is a medical necessity for legitimate emergency medical procedures for termination of the pregnancy to save the pregnant woman's life.” This also goes for scenarios where a pregnancy may cause “imminent substantial and irreversible physical impairment” to the pregnant woman.
While the bill is similar to Texas’ Senate Bill 8 (SB 8)—which passed earlier this month—some still consider SB 8 to be more restrictive than Barnaby’s proposal. Under HB 167, exceptions are made for victims of rape and incest while no exceptions are made under SB 8. According to a report from Reuters, some can even interpret SB 8 to allow lawsuits to be filed against anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion, even if they just gave the woman a ride to their appointment.
The bill is up for discussion once legislators return to Tallahassee in January for the 2022 Legislative Session.
News Daytona Beach has reached out to Barnaby for comment. He has yet to reply.
