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March 2, 2018Dismemberment Abortion
On Thursday, March 1, HB 1429 (Grall) passed the House ( 72-42). This FCCB-supported measure would prohibit physicians from knowingly performing a dismemberment abortion, a procedure conducted in the second-trimester that removes the body parts of an unborn child while the child is still alive. The companion bill in the Senate, SB 1890 (Mayfield), has not been heard in its committees of reference.
Retroactivity in Death Penalty Cases
SB 870 (Bracy) finds that partial retroactivity of a new unanimous jury requirement in death penalty cases results in a miscarriage of justice. Based on a 2016 Florida Supreme Court ruling, only cases that were finalized after June 24, 2002 and had non-unanimous juries are eligible for resentencing. Defendants whose death sentences were finalized before this date - but under the same unconstitutional system - have been denied relief. SB 870 states that applying retroactivity to the earlier cases will provide a more just and final resolution. This FCCB-supported bill was approved by the Senate Rules Committee on Thursday, March 1 and is on the calendar for the full Senate. There is no companion bill in the House.