Florida abortion law hit with 2nd challenge

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A South Florida Jewish congregation has challenged a brand new state regulation that blocks abortions after 15 weeks of being pregnant, contending the measure violates privateness and religious-freedom rights.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Leon County circuit court docket by Congregation L’Dor Va-Dor, seeks to dam the regulation from taking impact July 1. Abortion clinics additionally filed a lawsuit this month in Leon County difficult the constitutionality of the restriction.

Each instances embrace allegations that the regulation, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April, violates a privateness proper within the Florida Structure that has lengthy performed a pivotal function in abortion instances within the state.

However the lawsuit filed Friday by the Palm Seaside County congregation additionally contends that the regulation violates religious-freedom rights.

“For Jews, all life is valuable and thus the choice to carry new life into the world shouldn’t be taken frivolously or decided by state fiat,” the lawsuit stated. “In Jewish regulation, abortion is required if needed to guard the well being, psychological or bodily well-being of the lady, or for a lot of different causes not permitted below the act (the brand new regulation). As such, the act prohibits Jewish girls from training their religion free of presidency intrusion and thus violates their privateness rights and non secular freedom.”

Advert

The lawsuit additionally stated congregation members and different individuals who “don’t share the spiritual views mirrored within the act will endure … irreparable hurt by having their spiritual freedom below the Florida Structure violated.”

“This failure to keep up the separation of church and state, like so many different legal guidelines in different lands all through historical past, threatens the Jewish household, and thus additionally threatens the Jewish individuals by imposing the legal guidelines of different religions upon Jews,” the lawsuit stated.

The 15-week abortion restrict was one of many most-controversial problems with this yr’s legislative session and got here because the U.S. Supreme Courtroom considers the constitutionality of the same Mississippi regulation. A leaked draft opinion within the Supreme Courtroom case indicated justices might use it to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion resolution.

When DeSantis signed the invoice, he held an occasion at a Kissimmee church, with screens displaying the message, “Florida protege el derecho la vida,” or “Florida protects the precise to life.”

Advert

“We’re right here right this moment to guard life. We’re right here right this moment to defend those that can’t defend themselves,” DeSantis stated.

The regulation prevents physicians from performing abortions after 15 weeks, primarily based on the primary day of the lady’s final menstrual interval. It consists of restricted exemptions, comparable to in circumstances when physicians certify that abortions are wanted to save lots of the lives of pregnant girls.

The lawsuit filed Friday names as defendants DeSantis and quite a few different state officers. It has been assigned to Circuit Decide Layne Smith. The opposite case filed June 1 by abortion clinics is pending earlier than Circuit Decide John Cooper.