Florida Supreme Court to Take Up 24-Hour Reflection Period Prior to Abortion

On May 5, the Florida Supreme Court in a 5-2 decision issued an order agreeing to hear a challenge to the constitutionality of the 2015 law that provides women a day to reflect before undergoing abortion. The order comes nearly two weeks after the Florida Supreme Court issued an injunction putting the law on hold. Plaintiffs in the case claim the law violates the broad privacy protections under the Florida Constitution.
 
The FCCB supported this legislation that ensures a woman considering abortion has an opportunity to reflect on information provided by a physician as she does before every other comparable surgical procedure. Similar measures are in place in 28 states.
 
The State of Florida already acknowledges the value of reflection periods prior to marriage, divorce, the purchase of a handgun, certain real estate transactions, sterilization, and placing a child for adoption. Considering these other waiting periods, it is only common sense to provide for reflection before an irreversible decision that ends the life of a child and can affect a woman's life for years to come.