2015 Legislative Report Overview
Communities rely on Planned Parenthood for accurate, accessible, nonjudgmental information and affordable quality care and for almost 100 Session by years, Planned Parenthood has been America’s most trusted provider of reproductive health care. In 2013, nearly 80,000 women, men and the Numbers teens turned to Planned Parenthood in Florida for health care services, including lifesaving cancer screenings, testing and treatment of sexually Over 100 transmitted infections, contraception services and abortion care. Our primary goal remains to reduce volunteers the number of unintended pregnancies through preventive services and education. While teen traveled to pregnancy rates have declined significantly since Tallahassee. 1990, the number of repeat teen births remains high.
Instead of focusing on access to quality health care, They held this legislative session, elected officials introduced six bills (three in each chamber) that once again 72 meetings focused on making it harder for women to access with state reproductive health services. Some bills threatened to make it nearly impossible for Planned legislators. Parenthood to provide basic preventive health care services to women and access to safe and legal abortion. Supporters Ultimately, the legislature passed a bill mandating that a woman have two separate in-person made over consultations with a physician, a minimum of 24 hours apart, before being able to access abortion 8,000 services. Even when a woman has already received phone calls. state-mandated counseling and made a deliberate and fully informed decision, she will now be forced to wait 24 hours before having an abortion. Responding to pressure from reproductive rights Supporters advocates, the legislation was finally amended by took over the bill sponsor to include exceptions for victims of rape, incest, domestic violence and human trafficking but only if they provide documentation 30,000 of the crime. While any exception to the online actions. requirements of the original mandatory abortion delay bill is a symbolic step in the right direction, 1 unfortunately, the legislation would now further traumatize rape survivors. Social Media State laws that require mandatory delays before a woman can get an abortion do not offer any health benefits. They result in increased expenses, travel difficulties, and medical risks. Inherent in this bill is the unfounded assumption that women who decide to have an abortion don’t carefully consider their decision. The reasons women decide to have an abortion are complicated and legislation should not be introduced with the intent to shame, coerce or judge women. The decision about whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy, or raise a child is private and personal. The decision should remain between a woman, her family, and her faith, with the counsel of her doctor or health care provider.
This year, with the support of coalition partners and through grassroots efforts, Planned Parenthood successfully defeated two other bills that attempted to restrict women’s access to health care. This report provides an overview of the bills that Planned Parenthood worked on during the 2015 Legislative Session in conjunction with our allies and supporters.
Photos on the Cover
From top left to bottom right: Rep. John Cortes with volunteers from Orlando Orlando volunteers speak out at an opening day press conference Petition delivery by volunteers from Planned Parenthood of Southwest, Central Florida Supporters at a Senate Committee hearing Volunteers meet with Senator Darren Soto Volunteers from Palm Beach and Broward counties join in a Healthcare Coverage Gap press event
2 2015 Anti-Reproductive Health Legislation
SB 724/HB 633 “Termination of Pregnancies”/ “Informed Patient Consent” by Sen. Flores, Rep. Sullivan
Co-Sponsors: Ahern, Albritton, Avila, Baxley, Burgess, Burton, Cortes (B), Costello,Cummings, Drake, Eisnaugle, Gaetz (M), Hill, La Rosa, Mayfield, Metz, Moraitis, Plakon, Raburn,Rodrigues (R), Rooney, Santiago, Stevenson, Stevenson, Stone, Van Zant
SB 724/HB 633 requires a 24-hour mandatory delay after informed consent before obtaining an abortion. The bill requires a physician to be in the same room with a patient to receive consent and for the consent to be at least 24 hours before the procedure.
STATUS: PASSED. The legislation passed the Senate 26-13 and the House 77-42. It will go into effect July 1, 2015.
SB 920/HB 147 “Relating to Abortion” by Sen. Stargel, Rep. Hill
Co-Sponsors: Reps. Ahern, Baxley, Gonzalez, Moraitis, Plakon, Rodrigues, Van Zant, Costello
SB 920/HB 147 would have severely restricted access to safe and legal abortion by requiring abortion providers to obtain admitting privileges at a local hospital, which is not a requirement for being a licensed medical provider, is not a designation of the quality of the provider, and medical experts agree would not make patients safer.
STATUS: Died in Committee.
SB 1502/HB 247 “Florida for Life” By Sen. Evers, Rep. Van Zant
Co-Sponsors: Rep. Ray Rodrigues (R)
SB 1502/HB 247 is government interference at its worst and would have banned safe, legal abortion in Florida. This legislation provided no exception for survivors of rape, sexual assault or incest, and only very limited exceptions for the life and health of the woman and narrowly defined medical emergencies. Women don’t turn to politicians for advice about mammograms, prenatal care, or cancer treatments. And politicians should not be involved in a woman’s personal medical decisions about her pregnancy.
STATUS: Died in Committee.
For additional information, please visit www.fappa.org. 3 2015 Other Legislation of Concern
SB 1464/HB 583 “Single-Sex Public Facilities” by Sen. Dean, Rep. Artilles
Co-Sponsors: Reps. Baxley, Campbell, Gaetz, Hill, Moraitis, Rodrigues, and Stone
HB 583 would have allowed blatant discrimination against the transgender community. The bill required that use of single-sex facilities be restricted to persons of the sex for which the facility is designated and prohibits knowingly and willfully entering a single-sex public facility designated for or restricted to persons of another biological sex. This legislation targeting transgender individuals sought to dehumanize them by preventing access to facilities in public spaces.
STATUS: Died in Committee.
HB 7111 “Relating to Conscience Protection for Actions of Private Child-Placing Agencies” by Rep. Brodeur
Co-Sponsors: Reps. Porter, Ahern, Albritton, Baxley, Broxson, Drake
HB 7111 would have given child placement agencies subcontracted by the state a license to discriminate and deny vulnerable children loving homes due to religious or moral objections unrelated to child welfare. Doing so would greatly exacerbate the existing shortage of available families, and harm children, limiting their opportunities to be placed with qualified and loving families.
STATUS: Died in Committee
For additional information, please visit www.fappa.org. 4 2015 Other Legislation of Interest
In addition to the attacks on women’s health introduced this session, there were several bills that would have protected women, men, and their families. Below are bills that the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates supported:
SB 156/HB 33 “Competitive Workforce Act” by Sen. Abruzzo, Rep. Raschein
Co-sponsors: Sens. Bullard, Margolis, Ring, Smith (C) and Soto. Reps. Berman, Cortes (J), Cruz, Dudley, Edwards, Fitzenhagen, Geller, Goodson, Hager, Jacobs, Jenne, Jones (S), Kerner, La Rosa, Latvala, Miller, Moskowitz, Murphy, Narain, Peters, Pilon, Plasencia, Rader, Rehwinkel Vasilinda, Richardson, Rodriguez (J), Rooney, Rouson, Santiago, Stark, Stewart, and Watson (C).
This legislation sought to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in public employment, public lodging establishments and public food service establishments.
STATUS: Did not see legislative action.
SB 982/HB 625 “Pregnancy Discrimination Act” by Sen. Thompson, Rep. Cortes (B)
Co-sponsors: Sens. Gibson and Smith. Reps. Berman (Primary Co-Sponsor), Artilles, Campbell, Edwards, Fullwood, Raschein, Rehwinkel Vasilinda, and Williams.
This legislation sought to bring Florida in line with the Civil Rights Act of 1972 and protect pregnant women from workplace discrimination. The Senate passed it unanimously, and the House passed it with an overwhelming majority.
STATUS: Passed.
SB 98/HB 25 “Helen Gordon Davis Fair Pay Protection Act” by Sen. Joyner, Rep. Cruz
Co-Sponsors: Sens. Sachs and Soto. Reps. Jenne, Pafford, Rehwinkel Vasilinda, Richardson, Watson (C), Williams
This legislation would have established the Governor’s Recognition Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace and recognized the importance of equal pay for equal work for women.
STATUS: Did not see legislative action.
5 2015 Other Legislation of Interest (Cont)
SB 88/HB 8001 “Equal Rights for Men and Women” by Sen. Joyner, Rep. Berman
Co-Sponsors: Sen. Margolis. Reps. Jenne, Murphy, Pafford, Rader, Watson (C), and Williams.
This bill would have ratified the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to equal rights for men and women.
STATUS: Did not see legislative action.
SB 512/HB 321 “Relating to HIV Testing” by Sen. Thompson, Rep. Avila
Co-sponsors: Sen. Soto. Reps. Edwards (Primary Co-Sponsor), DuBose, Jones (S), Pigman, Pritchett, Rogers and Williams.
This legislation amends current informed consent protocols for HIV testing in Florida. The legislation allows health care professionals to test patients for HIV through proper patient notification and permitts them to verbally decline the test.
STATUS: Passed.
SB 374/HB 607 “Relating to Chemicals of High Concern” by Sen. Sobel, Rep. Cruz
Co-sponsors: Rep. Berman
This bill would have required the Department of Health to create and disseminate a list of potentially hazardous chemicals that are included in products used by pregnant women and children.
STATUS: Did not see legislative action.
For additional information, please visit www.fappa.org. 6 Senate Bill 724 Voting Scorecard
Senator Party District Floor Vote Amendment Vote Exemption Vote Committee Policy Health Vote Judiciary Committee and Incest Exceptions Rape Amendment Vote Vote Committee Policy Fiscal with and Incest Exceptions Rape Substitute Documentation Joseph Abruzzo Dem 25 NO YES NO NO Thad Altman Rep 16 YES NO Aaron Bean Rep 4 YES NO YES YES NO YES YES Lizbeth Benacquisto Rep 30 YES NO YES NO Rob Bradley Rep 7 YES NO YES YES Jeffrey Brandes Rep 22 YES NO YES NO Oscar Braynon Dem 36 NO YES NO Dwight Bullard Dem 39 NO YES Jeff Clemens Dem 27 NO YES NO NO Charles S. ‘’Charlie’’ Dean Rep 5 YES NO Nancy Detert Rep 28 YES YES Miguel Diaz de la Portilla Rep 40 YES NO YES YES Greg Evers Rep 2 YES NO Anitere Flores Rep 37 YES NO YES YES YES Don Gaetz Rep 1 YES NO YES Bill Galvano Rep 26 YES NO YES Rene Garcia Rep 38 YES NO Andy Gardiner Rep 13 YES NO Audrey Gibson Dem 9 NO YES Denise Grimsley Rep 21 YES NO YES Alan Hays Rep 11 YES NO YES YES Dorothy L. Hukill Rep 8 YES NO YES YES Arthenia Joyner Dem 19 NO YES NO NO YES Jack Latvala Rep 20 YES Tom Lee Rep 24 YES John Legg Rep 17 YES NO YES Didn’t Vote Gwen Margolis Dem 35 NO YES NO NO Bill Montford Dem 3 YES Joe Negron Rep 32 YES NO Garrett Richter Rep 23 YES NO Jeremy Ring Dem 29 NO YES NO YES Maria Lorts Sachs Dem 34 NO YES David Simmons Rep 10 YES NO Wilton Simpson Rep 18 YES NO YES NO Christopher ‘’Chris’’ Smith Dem 31 NO YES Eleanor Sobel Dem 33 NO YES NO Darren Soto Dem 14 NO YES NO YES Kelli Stargel Rep 15 YES NO YES NO YES YES Geraldine F. Thompson Dem 12 NO YES
7 House Bill 633 Voting Scorecard
Representative Party District Floor Vote Quality Health Vote Subcommittee Vote Judiciary Committee and Incest Exceptions Rape Amendment Vote and Human Services Health Vote Committee Janet Adkins Rep 11 YES Larry Ahern Rep 66 YES Ben Albritton Rep 56 YES Bruce Antone Dem 46 NO Frank Artiles Rep 118 YES Bryan Avila Rep 111 YES YES Dennis Baxley Rep 23 YES Lori Berman Dem 90 NO NO Halsey Beshears Rep 7 NO Michael Bileca Rep 115 YES Jim Boyd Rep 71 YES Randolph Bracy Dem 45 NO Jason T. Brodeur Rep 28 YES YES Doug Broxson Rep 3 YES Colleen Burton Rep 40 YES YES YES YES Matt Caldwell Rep 79 YES Daphne Campbell Dem 108 YES Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed Dem 92 NO NO Neil Combee Rep 39 YES Richard Corcoran Rep 37 YES John Cortes Dem 43 NO Robert Cortes Rep 30 YES Fred Costello Rep 25 YES YES Steve Crisafulli Rep 51 YES Janet Cruz Dem 62 NO NO Travis Cummings Rep 18 YES YES Jose Felix Diaz (J) Rep 116 YES Manny Diaz (M) Rep 103 YES Brad Drake Rep 5 YES Bobby DuBose Dem 94 NO NO Dwight Dudley Dem 68 NO NO YES Dane Eagle Rep 77 YES Katie A. Edwards Dem 98 NO NO YES Eric Eisnaugle Rep 44 YES Jay Fant Rep 15 YES YES NO Heather Dawes Fitzenhagen Rep 78 NO Erik Fresen Rep 114 YES Matt Gaetz (M) Rep 4 YES YES Joe Geller Dem 100 NO Julio Gonzalez Rep 74 YES YES YES NO Tom Goodson Rep 50 NO Bill Hager Rep 89 NO Gayle Harrell Rep 83 YES YES NO YES 8 House Bill 633 Voting Scorecard Cont.
Representative Party District Floor Vote Quality Health Vote Subcommittee Vote Judiciary Committee and Incest Exceptions Rape Amendment Vote and Human Services Health Vote Committee Shawn Harrison Rep 63 YES Mike Hill Rep 2 YES Matt Hudson Rep 80 YES YES NO Blaise Ingoglia Rep 35 YES Clay Ingram Rep 1 YES Kristin Jacobs Dem 96 NO NO Evan Jenne Dem 99 NO Mia Jones Dem 14 NO NO Shevrin D. Jones Dem 101 NO NO Dave Kerner Dem 87 NO NO YES Michael LaRosa Rep 42 YES Chris Latvala Rep 67 YES Larry Lee (L) Dem 84 NO MaryLynn Magar Rep 82 YES YES Debbie Mayfield Rep 54 YES Charles McBurney Rep 16 YES YES NO Kionne L. McGhee Dem 117 NO Larry Metz Rep 32 YES YES NO Mike Miller Rep 49 YES YES George R. Moraitis Jr Rep 93 YES Jared Evan Moskowitz Dem 97 NO NO YES Amanda Murphy Dem 36 NO Ed Narain Dem 61 NO NO Jeanette M. Nuñez Rep 119 YES Marlene O’Toole Rep 33 YES Jose Oliva Rep 110 YES Mark Pafford Dem 86 NO Kathleen C. Passidomo Rep 106 YES YES NO W. Keith Perry Rep 21 YES Kathleen Mick Peters Rep 69 YES Cary Pigman Rep 55 YES YES YES Ray Pilon Rep 72 NO Scott Plakon Rep 29 YES YES NO Rene Plasencia Rep 49 YES YES Elizabeth W. Porter Rep 10 YES Bobby Powell Dem 88 NO Sharon Pritchett Dem 102 NO Jacob William Raburn Rep 57 YES Kevin Rader Dem 81 NO Holly Merrill Raschein Rep 120 NO Daniel D. Raulerson Rep 58 YES Lake Ray Rep 12 YES Paul Renner Rep 24 YES 9 House Bill 633 Voting Scorecard Cont.
Representative Party District Floor Vote Quality Health Vote Subcommittee Vote Judiciary Committee and Incest Exceptions Rape Amendment Vote and Human Services Health Vote Committee David Richardson Dem 113 NO Kenneth L. Roberson Rep 75 YES YES Ray Rodrigues (R) Rep 76 YES Jose Javier Rodriguez (J) Dem 112 NO NO YES Hazelle P. ‘’Hazel’’ Rogers Dem 95 NO Patrick Rooney Jr. Rep 85 YES YES Darryl Rouson Dem 70 NO David Santiago Rep 27 YES Irving ‘’Irv’’ Slosberg Dem 91 NO Jimmie T. Smith (J) Rep 34 YES Ross Spano Rep 59 YES Chris Sprowls Rep 65 YES YES YES Cynthia A. Stafford Dem 109 NO NO Richard Stark Dem 104 NO Cyndi Stevenson Rep 17 YES W. Gregory ‘’Greg’’ Steube Rep 73 YES YES Charlie Stone Rep 22 YES YES NO Jennifer Sullivan Rep 31 YES Dwayne Taylor Dem 26 NO John Tobia Rep 53 YES Victor M. Torres Dem 48 NO Carlos Trujillo Rep 105 YES YES NO Jay Trumbull Rep 6 YES YES Charles E. Van Zant Rep 19 YES Barbara Watson Dem 107 NO Clovis Watson Dem 20 NO Alan B. Williams Dem 8 NO John Wood Rep 41 YES YES NO Ritch Workman Rep 52 YES Dana D. Young Rep 60 YES
For additional information, please visit www.fappa.org. 10