Governor Ron DeSantis reportedly signed legislation prohibiting the majority of abortions after six weeks of pregnancy into law late on Thursday, just hours after the Florida Legislature passed the proposal.
Just after 11 p.m., the governor’s office released the information.
In a picture DeSantis shared on Twitter, he is shown signing the “Heartbeat Protection Act” in his office in front of the bill’s sponsors from the House and Senate as well as House Speaker Paul Renner.
Depending on how the Florida Supreme Court finds in a case challenging the state’s current 15-week abortion restriction, the statute may or may not take effect.
The more stringent prohibition won’t take effect unless the court upholds that statute.
The dispute revolves over Florida’s expansive right to privacy as guaranteed by the state constitution and whether the present justices would reverse earlier court rulings that applied the privacy right to abortion.
A significant turning point in DeSantis’ widely anticipated presidential campaign was marked by his signing on Thursday night.
He spent the day in Ohio courting Republicans over breakfast and supper before taking a late-night flight home to sign the legislation.
Seven Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the bill, which was approved 70–40.
The bill is one of the most aggressively pro-life pieces of legislation currently on the books in the United States.
[READ MORE: DeSantis Heading to Washington to Meet With Republican Lawmakers]
