A new blog post at 40 Days for Life – Pensacola that is credited to the Florida Family Policy Council describes Gov. Rick Scott’s ceremonial anti-abortion bill-signing in the governor’s mansion this past weekend, saying it marked “the culmination of one of the most successful legislative sessions [for] the pro-life movement in Florida’s history.”
This year, the state Legislature passed five anti-abortion bills. Four of them were signed again at the governor’s mansion this past weekend.
At the ceremony, Scott signed House Bill 97, which strips abortion coverage from health insurance exchanges created through the Affordable Care Act. He also signed House Bill 501, which directs funds from “Choose Life” license plates to Choose Life, Inc. House Bill 1247 was also signed at the ceremony; it places tougher restrictions on young women seeking a judicial bypass for the state’s parental notification of abortion. House Bill 1127, a bill requiring doctors to perform an ultrasound on women seeking an abortion whether it is medically necessary or not, was also signed.
All the sponsors for the bills were present, along with Florida Family Policy Council President John Stemberger, the Florida Baptist Convention, and the Florida Catholic Conference.
From the Family Policy Council post:
“We are grateful to have a governor that understands that being pro-life is more than just campaign rhetoric,” said John Stemberger, President of the Florida Family Policy Council. “By his actions today, Governor Rick Scott has proven himself to be a defender of life. How we treat the weakest and most vulnerable members of society says a lot about how civilized we are a people. These laws provide further protection for ‘the least of these’ in our state and Governor Scott is to be commended.” John Stemberger’s wife Olivia and his two sons attended the event as well.
“This event today is the culmination of years of work by countless pro-life members and advocates,” said Bill Warren, Policy Director of the Florida Family Policy Council. “We applaud their commitment to this cause and commend the hard work of this group of bill sponsors.”
Stemberger and his influential affiliate of the Family Research Council will be hosting GOP presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., at its annual policy awards dinner later this month.
The group has named the dinner after a campaign aimed at raising “large amounts of cash for ‘groups [that] intend to pass anti-gay marriage amendments, curtail abortion rights and, in at least one case, ban transgender bathrooms,’” The American Independent previously reported.
