Tuesday is International Women’s Day. We recognize women by focusing on a major Florida bill that’s important to women.
Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to sign a bill that would make most abortions illegal after fifteen weeks of gestation, HB 5. It passed the State Senate Thursday night.
HB 5, Florida’s fifteen-week abortion ban
We heard three speeches from the debate before that vote. We heard from Boca Raton Senator Tina Polsky, a Democrat who opposed the bill. And from Lauren Book, the Senate Minority Leader from Plantation in South Florida. We also hear from the bill’s sponsor, Lakeland Republican Kelli Stargel.
Our guest to analyze the bill was Amy Weintraub, the Reproductive Rights Program Director at Progress Florida.
The Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) at the University of North Florida released its statewide poll of registered voters last month. The “majority of respondents (57%) opposed [HB 5] either strongly or somewhat, with 34% supporting either somewhat or strongly.”
Listen to the full show here:
“Don’t Say Gay” bill
Before the conversation about the fifteen-week abortion ban that has passed the Florida Legislature, we spoke about another controversial bill that passed the state legislature on Tuesday.
Opponents call it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Walkout at Blake High School
On Monday WMNF spoke with a student who participated in a walk-out last week to protest the bill. Scout Pytlack is a freshman at Blake High School in Tampa. On Tuesday, the bill passed the State Senate. It’s expected to become law with the governor’s signature.
In a Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) at the University of North Florida poll last month, in Florida, there is “overall opposition to the passage of the [‘Don’t Say Gay’] bill, with 49% opposing and 40% supporting either somewhat or strongly” Reading from AP: “A Florida bill to limit discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools is nearing final passage in the statehouse.
Some Tampa Bay area recognitions on IWD
At the 25th annual Women’s History Month Celebration at the Tampa Bay History Center, the Josephine Howard Safford Memorial Award will be presented to Kayon Henderson for her impact in our community.
The Working Women of Tampa Bay 2022 Leadership Award will be handed out Tuesday. “Sandy” Murman is a principal with Shumaker Advisors Florida and a former Hillsborough County Commissioner. She was the first Republican woman in Florida’s House of Representatives to hold the position of Speaker Pro-Tempore.
