How they voted on Florida’s six-week abortion ban | Editorial
Florida has now one of the nation’s most restrictive abortion laws — a ban on abortions after six weeks, before many women even know they are pregnant.
With only rare exceptions to save a mother’s life, the new law eliminates abortion-related health care for millions of women in the southeastern U.S. who now must travel as far as Virginia for abortions.
Senate Bill 300, known as the “Heartbeat Protection Act,” passed in the 2023 legislative session and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it on April 13, 2023. Its impact was delayed for a year due to legal challenges, and it took effect May 1 of this year.
“We live in a time where the consequences of our actions are an afterthought and convenience has been substitution for responsibility,” the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, has said, “and this is unacceptable when it comes to the protection of the most vulnerable.”
The six-week ban is the focus of intense criticism in Florida and beyond. Its passage is seen as a prime motivation for a proposed constitutional amendment in November ensuring the right to an abortion up to viability, or about 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Here’s how all Florida legislators voted on SB 300. Most of them are up for election this fall, and this vote is sure to be an issue in some districts. A yes vote was a vote for the six-week ban, and a no vote was a vote against it.
No Democrats voted yes, and nine Republicans voted no. Seven Republicans did not vote. Area legislators are shown in bold.
Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula; Bryan Avila, R-Hialeah; Dennis Baxley, R-Lady Lake; Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton; Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island; Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford; Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze; Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills; Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland; Jay Collins, R-Tampa; Nick DiCeglie, R-Indian Rocks Beach; Ileana Garcia, R-Miami; Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach; Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota; Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart; Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater; Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine; Blaine Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill; Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers; Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne; Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples; Keith Perry, R-Gainesville; Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Miami; Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City; Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach; Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville.
Senators voting no (13):
Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach; Lauren Book, D-Davie; Alexis Calatayud, R-Miami; Tracey Davis, D-Jacksonville; Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens; Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton; Rosalind Osgood, D-Fort Lauderdale; Jason Pizzo, D-Hollywood; Bobby Powell, D-West Palm Beach; Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg; Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee; Linda Stewart, D-Orlando; Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando.
Senators not voting (1):
Victor Torres, D-Orlando.
Representatives voting yes (70):
Shane Abbott, R-DeFuniak Springs; Thad Altman, R-Indialantic; Danny Alvarez, R-Riverview; Carolina Amesty, R-Windermere; Adam Anderson, R-Palm Harbor; Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola; Jessica Baker, R-Fort Meade; Doug Bankson, R-Apopka; Webster Barnaby, R-Deltona; Melony Bell, R-Fort Meade; Mike Beltran, R-Riverview; Kimberly Berfield, R-Clearwater; Dean Black, R-Jacksonville; David Borrero, R-Sweetwater; Adam Botana, R-Bonita Springs; Robbie Brackett, R-Vero Beach; James Buchanan, R-Osprey; Demi Busatta Cabrera, R-Coral Gables; Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland; Linda Chaney, R-St. Pete Beach; Chuck Clemons, R-Newberry; Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville; Tiffany Esposito, R-Fort Myers; Tom Fabricio, R-Miami Lakes; Juan Fernandez-Barquin, R-Miami; Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay; Alina Garcia, R-Miami; Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island; Mike Giallombardo, R-Cape Coral; Michael Grant, R-Port Charlotte; “Griff” Griffits; R-Panama City Beach; Tommy Gregory, R-Lakewood Ranch; Fred Hawkins, R-St. Cloud; Jeff Holcomb, R-Spring Hill; Berny Jacques, R-Seminole; Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach; Randy Maggard, R-Dade City; Patt Maney, R-Shalimar; Ralph Massullo, R-Lecanto; Stan McClain, R-Ocala; Lawrence McClure, R-Dover; Lauren Melo, R-Naples; Kiyan Michael, R-Jacksonville; Toby Overdorf, R-Palm City; Bobby Payne, R-Palatka; Daniel Perez, R-Miami; Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers; Rachel Plakon, R-Lake Mary; Susan Plasencia, R-Orlando; David Porras, R-Miami; Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast; Alex Rizo, R-Hialeah; Spencer Roach, R-North Fort Myers; Will Robinson, R-Bradenton; Bob Rommel, R-Naples; Joel Rudman, R-Navarre; Michelle Salzman, R-Pensacola; Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe; Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island; David Smith, Winter Springs; John Snyder, R-Stuart; Kevin Steele, R-Dade City; John Paul Temple, R-Wildwood; Josie Tomkow, R-Polk City; Dana Trabulsy, R-Fort Pierce; Chase Tramont, R-Port Orange; Keith Truenow, R-Tavares; Kaylee Tuck, R-Lake Placid; Taylor Yarkosky, R-Montverde; Brad Yeager, R-New Port Richey.
Representatives voting no (40):
Bruce Antone, D-Orlando; Kristen Arrington, D-Kissimmee; Robin Bartleman, D-Weston; Christopher Benjamin, D-Miami; LaVon Bracy Davis, D-Ocoee; Daryl Campbell, D-Fort Lauderdale; Mike Caruso, R-Delray Beach; Joe Casello, D-Boynton Beach; Hillary Cassel, D-Dania Beach; Kevin Chambliss, D-Homestead; Lindsay Cross, D-St. Petersburg; Dan Daley, D-Coral Springs; Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa; Lisa Dunkley, D-Sunrise; Tae Edmonds, D-West Palm Beach; Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando; Gallop Franklin II, D-Tallahassee; Ashley Gantt, D-Miami; Karen Gonzalez Pittman, R-Tampa; Peggy Gossett-Seidman, R-Highland Beach; Mike Gottlieb, D-Davie; Rita Harris, D-Orlando; Dianne Hart, D-Tampa; Yvonne Hinson, D-Gainesville; Christine Hunschofsky, D-Parkland; Sam Killebrew, R-Winter Haven; Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point; Johanna López, D-Orlando; Vicki Lopez, R-Miami; Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville; Michelle Rayner-Goolsby, D-St. Petersburg; Felicia Robinson, D-Miami Gardens; Rick Roth, R-West Palm Beach; David Silvers, D-Lake Clarke Shores; Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton; Allison Tant, D-Tallahassee; Susan Valdes, D-Tampa; Katherine Waldron, D-Wellington; Patricia Williams, D-Pompano Beach; Marie Woodson, D-Hollywood.
Representatives not voting (9):
Fabian Basabe, R-Miami Beach; Chuck Brannan, R-Macclenny; Kimberly Daniels, D-Jacksonville; Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami; Traci Koster, R-Tampa; Fiona McFarland, R-Fort Myers; Jim Mooney, R-Key West; Paula Stark, R-St. Cloud; Cyndi Stevenson, R-St. Johns.
Source: Florida Legislature
The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Opinion Editor Dan Sweeney, editorial writer Martin Dyckman and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Editorials are the opinion of the Board and written by one of its members or a designee. To contact us, email at letters@sun-sentinel.com.