Sanford - Thursday June 30, 2022: Governor Ron DeSantis says he will appeal Thursday’s ruling by a Leon County Judge who declared the state’s new law banning abortions after 15-weeks is unconstitutional.
The Governor made his remarks during a news conference in Sanford Thursday afternoon soon after Circuit Court Judge John Cooper announced his decision to issue a temporary injunction against House Bill 5.
The Governor said the ruling came as no surprise. “It was not something that we were happy to see, (but) it was not un-anticipated," he said. "We knew that that was likely going to be what was decided in that case. We knew that we were going to have to move forward and continue the legal battle on that.”
Attorneys representing the state have already argued that the prior decisions by the Florida Supreme Court granting broad privacy protections to abortion, which were cited by Judge Cooper in his ruling, were in error.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is expected to file an appeal with the Florida Supreme Court within days after Judge Cooper temporary injunction takes effect.
“When you talk about these unborn babies that have heart beat, they can feel pain, they can suck their thumb, and to say that the state constitution mandates things like dismemberment abortions. So, we’ll appeal," said the Governor to applause.
Given the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to let stand a similar Mississippi state law banning abortions after 15-weeks, the Governor has expressed confidence that Florida’s House Bill 5 will ultimately withstand all legal challenges.