Florida - Wednesday October 25, 2025: Florida Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book, and Rep. Kelly Skidmore have introduced a bill aimed at safeguarding women's rights and reproductive freedom.
SB 256, entitled Pregnancy Support & Wellness Services, focuses on regulating reproductive health clinics called crisis pregnancy centers . Sen. Book says the purpose of the bill is to "expose deceptive practices in these state-funded anti-abortion facilities that exploit women, without accountability." She said “the funneling $25 million annually into fake clinics that peddle anti-abortion propaganda infringe upon those principles,” adding that “until women are free to make their own choices about reproductive health, our state is not truly free.”
“In order to ensure the well-being and autonomy of women in vulnerable situations, this bill provides transparency and oversight to the state’s unregulated pregnancy crisis centers, ensuring that women receive medically accurate information and comprehensive support," says Representative Skidmore, who is sponsoring SB 256’s companion in the Florida House.
These medical service providers are not required to be licensed or inspected in Florida, and they enjoy exemption from compliance with HIPAA, the federal patient privacy law.
A second measure introduced by Sen. Book, SB 254, is entitled Picketing or Protesting in or Near Health Care Facilities,
It proposes to make it illegal to protest within 150 feet from a health care facility offering reproductive health care. It would also prohibit interference with health care providers or their patients within these facilities.