Florida House sends abortion bill to governor

They had billed this legislative session as being "all about jobs." But the conservative House spent much of their final day Friday debating one of the hottest and most ideological topics in politics: abortion.

Comparisons to the Holocaust, references to Terry Schiavo and accusations of political pandering flew during fierce debate of more than four hours before the House passed a bill requiring all women seeking elective abortions, even those in the first trimester, to have ultrasounds first.

Prior to having the abortion, a woman would have to view the ultrasound and listen to a doctor's description of it unless they declined in writing to do so, or unless they could prove they were seeking an abortion because of rape, incest, human trafficking or a threat to their health.

The provision expands existing law mandating ultrasounds in the second and third trimesters. Planned Parenthood advocates have argued that early-pregnancy ultrasounds are far more invasive because they must be performed vaginally.

When Democrats also complained that the woman would also have to pay for the ultrasound, regardless of whether she wants it, Republican Rep. Alan Hays fired back, "What price do you put on the life a baby?"

"Pro-choice is the politically correct, warm-fuzzy term that condones killing unborn babies," said Hays, R-Umatilla. "If you want an expression that is the opposite of pro-life, let me suggest an honest term: 'pro-death.'"

Hays spoke after Democratic Rep. Adam Fetterman, D-Port St. Lucie, blasted anti-abortion "fundamentalists" for supporting the murder of abortion doctors.

"Part of me is afraid to leave this chamber today without the protection of the sergeants and Capitol Police, because there are some people out there who would want to harm me and my family because of my beliefs," he said.

Repeatedly, House Speaker Larry Cretul called on both sides to tone down the rhetoric -- and on parents sitting in the audience with children to consider leaving for a while.

Some lawmakers used their own life experiences to make their case during debate, which often turned directly the issue of abortion itself.

Lakeland Republican Kelli Stargel recalled when she was a pregnant 17-year-old faced with the decision of whether to carry her now-grown daughter to term.

"I went to Planned Parenthood when I was 17 years old, and I was told by the counselor there that that baby was going to ruin my life," she said. "That I was going to have to consider that if I went to my senior prom, I'd be doing it eight months pregnant. That if I walked in my high school graduation, I'd be doing it eight months pregnant. That this baby was going to ruin my life..."

That didn't happen, she said, noting that her daughter is now an officer in the U.S. Army serving overseas.

"All we're asking in this bill is that women have the facts. They're going to have an ultrasound which shows them what the facts are. That this is a little baby; that it has a heartbeat; that it's not a tadpole; that it has arms, that it has legs, and that it has a face ... Let the facts speak. Why are people afraid of that?"

Orlando Democrat Scott Randolph, who protested that the bill included no exemption for woman choosing to abort for natural reasons -- in particular, when a fetus is dying. He described through tears his and his wife's experience of learning during a routine ultrasound that their unborn child had a severe genetic abnormality.

Fluid was building in the heart, the doctors said, and the fetus would not survive. Their choice, Randoph said, was to terminate the pregnancy or allow the fetus to die, possibly late in pregnancy.

"That ultrasound machine is right next to that bed, where my wife is laying, looking at that fetus," he said "And she began to cry, and demand that that ultrasound machine be turned in the other direction so she couldn't see it anymore. And this bill right here would say, 'no. We're going to demand that one more time, when you ... terminate that pregnancy -- because God, fate and nature have told you, not this time, you're not going to have this child this time -- that we demand that you see that ultrasound, that you be told what's on that screen.'"

Democrats argued that wording of the legislation does not exempt a woman who declines to view the ultrasound from having to listen to a doctor describe of it. Republicans disagreed, saying the doctor's narrative is also optional, but refused a request from Democrats to add that legislative intent.

The bill, which passed the Senate on Thursday, passed the House on a near party-line vote of 76-44, with Democrat Leonard Bembry of Greenville voting for it and Republican Ed Homan voting no.

An orthopedic surgeon from Tampa, Homan argued that the legislation intrudes and injects politics into the relationship between doctors and patients. "I am a pro-life Republican, but I respect that other patients, that other people, have different views."

Democrats called on Gov. Charlie Crist to veto the bill. Crist, a moderate conservative, announced Thursday that he was leaving the Republican Party to run for U.S. Senate as an independent.

Rep. Chris Dorworth a Lake Mary Republican, acknowledged the veto possibility but said, "If he vetoes this bill, he's saying that millions of people -- the millions of babies who will be terminated from this ... are not people. And I know, that as a man of character, that he won't do that."