The Florida Senate passed two abortion-restricting bills today that include language similar to House versions of the bills. A state constitutional amendment to ban public funding for abortions and the “Health Insurance” bill do not expand coverage to women who face “a serious health risk” if their pregnancy is carried out, as of today.

State Sens. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville, and Gwen Margolis, D-Miami, introduced two amendments that would provide exceptions to the bans similar to those in the House. Exceptions now include cases “where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness, including a life-endangering, physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, which would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed.”

Before a final vote on the House floor this week, state Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, introduced several amendments that would expand exceptions to the proposed bans on public funding for abortion to a woman who faces a “serious risk to her health” — and not just to a woman who will die if she does not end her pregnancy. Each of them failed.

In a Senate committee meeting last week a similar piece of legislation was voted down. The measure did, however, receive bipartisan support.

The House will now have to vote on both bills with the amended language before Gov. Rick Scott can sign them into law.

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