The Florida House is set to cast its final vote on a bill that would set uniform and humane rules for the shackling and restraint of pregnant women who are incarcerated, after a failed attempt to pass a similar bill last year.
The bill passed in the Senate earlier this year and the House moved its version to third reading today, bringing it one step closer to Gov. Rick Scott’s desk.
The bill, which is sponsored by state Rep. Betty Reed, D-Tampa, would prohibit the shackling of a woman in labor and create uniform and humane standards for all jails, prisons, and detention centers in Florida. Advocates for women’s health have supported the bill, saying it would protect the health of pregnant women who are incarcerated across the board.
Last year, a similar bill passed in the Senate, but was never brought to a final vote in the House before the legislative session ended.
