News - March 2016 RSS Feed

TALLAHASSEE, FL - This new law protects the health and safety of women who choose abortion by ensuring they receive the same level of care as those who undergo comparable procedures at outpatient surgical facilities.

Inside Final Summary: Bills that Passed; Bills that Died; Final Status of FCCB Budget Priorities

The Regular Session of the Florida Legislature came to a close (sine die) at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, March 11. The motion to adjourn sine die, Latin for 'without day,' is the last action of a session of the Florida legislature.

HB 1411 (Burton) was passed by the Senate (25-15) and returned to the House on Wednesday where it received final passage (76-40). On Friday, the bill was sent to Governor Rick Scott who has until March 26 to act on the measure. This Catholic Days at the Capitol priority requires abortion doctors to have admitting privileges or a transfer agreement with a hospital not more than thirty (30) minutes away by emergency vehicle. In addition, the bill calls for the prohibition of public funding for an organization that owns, operates, or is affiliated with a licensed abortion clinic, with some exceptions. It also requires comprehensive reporting of abortion statistics to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

On Monday, Governor Scott signed into law a new death sentencing scheme that addresses a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. The January 12 ruling in Hurst v. Florida found Florida's system for sentencing a person to death unconstitutional because it allows a judge, not the jury, to find each fact necessary to impose a death sentence. The legislation also requires that at least 10 of 12 jurors agree when recommending death.

HB 837 (Bileca) was amended by the Senate, passed unanimously (39-0) and received final passage (114-0) in the House on Wednesday. The proposal develops a 'transition-to-work' program for recipients of the McKay Scholarship.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops commends our state legislature for passing legislation that aims to protect the health and safety of women who choose abortion. Although we seek to protect all life, including unborn life, we must also recognize that some women do choose abortion. Unfortunately, there are discrepancies in the level of care women receive at abortion clinics compared to the care offered at other health care facilities. This bill addresses this disparity.

As citizens of faith, we are led to question how each candidate if elected will address issues that protect or threaten the dignity of every human life.

At a meeting of the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee on Monday, FCCB staff supported an amendment to SB 1394 (Brandes), a bill relating to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The amendment requires that a payment plan option be included on a notice of driving privilege suspension due to nonpayment of a fine. If the violator is unable to pay the citation in full, he or she may avoid a suspension by agreeing to a payment plan, based on his or her ability to pay.

Prior to unanimous approval (16-0) by Senate Appropriations on Thursday, FCCB staff expressed support for SB 1088 (Stargel), a proposal that develops a 'transition-to-work' program for recipients of the McKay Scholarship. The program, jointly offered by private schools and businesses, would include academic instruction, work skills training and a paid or volunteer work experience for young adults aged 17-22 with disabilities.

HB 89 (Diaz, J.), which eliminates the five-year waiting period for low-income, lawfully-residing immigrant children to participate in the KidCare insurance program, unanimously passed (118-0) the full House on Thursday. The proposal maintains the exclusion of eligibility for undocumented immigrants of any age.

After passing the House on Wednesday, HB 43 (Plakon) achieved final passage in the Senate on Thursday, and is on its way to Governor Scott for his signature. The bill prevents churches or religious organizations - or individuals employed by these entities, including clergy - from being forced to solemnize any marriage or provide services, facilities or goods for related purposes if such action would violate sincerely held religious beliefs.

On the first day of the 2016 Legislative Session, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision that found Florida's system for sentencing a person to death unconstitutional because it allows a judge, not the jury, to decide whether the circumstances of a crime warrant a sentence of death.

HB 1411 (Burton) and its companion SB 1722 (Stargel), Catholic Days priority bills, require abortion doctors to have admitting privileges or a transfer agreement with a hospital not more than thirty (30) minutes away by emergency vehicle. In addition, the bills call for the prohibition of public funding for an organization that owns, operates, or is affiliated with a licensed abortion clinic, with some exceptions.

We are pleased with today’s decision from the 1st District Court of Appeals, reversing the injunction which has blocked a law requiring a 24 hour reflection period prior to abortion.