(Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
Just one week after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a Florida judge has blocked the state’s 15-week abortion ban, placing a temporary stop on the law that was supposed to go into effect on July 1st.
Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper argued that the law violates Florida’s constitutional right to privacy. However, Cooper said that this temporary injunction will not be effective until he signs the order, which he says will not occur on Thursday.
The abortion banning law, known as House Bill 5, was passed by the Florida legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in April. House Bill 5 would ban most abortions post-15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for the mother’s health and fatal fetal abnormalities.
A spokesperson for DeSantis asserted that they will appeal the injunction and House Bill 5 “will ultimately withstand all legal challenges.”
“We will appeal today’s ruling and ask the Florida Supreme Court to reverse its existing precedent regarding Florida’s right to privacy,” said the spokesperson, “The struggle for life is not over.”
Florida’s current law prohibits abortion procedures until 24 weeks of pregnancy, the third trimester, which is set to change on Friday. House Bill 5 will likely be in effect until Cooper signs the order.
In June, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union, alongside other Florida abortion providers sued the state in order to potentially halt this law from going into effect. This suit argued that House Bill 5 violated the state’s right to privacy.
Cooper ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood and others on Thursday, after a two-day hearing. The court proceedings began on Monday, a very tense time with the Supreme Court announcing the decision of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on Friday, effectively overturning Roe v. Wade.
The judge acknowledged that his temporary injunction to the abortion ban will likely not be in place for long, as the appellate court may not hold up his order.
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