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Republican-backed Bill Declares Life Begins at Conception

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Josh Hafenbrack, Sun-Sentinel
March 13, 2008
TALLAHASSEE — A bill that defines life at conception for the purpose of prosecuting violent acts against pregnant women cleared a House panel Wednesday along sharply divided party lines.

Republican legislators on the committee pushed through the effort to define an "unborn child" as a fetus at any stage of development in the womb. Under current law, an unborn child is defined as a "viable fetus" that is "capable of meaningful life outside the womb through standard medical measures."

Critics, including Rep. Ari Porth, D-Coral Springs, said the bill is more about the abortion debate and "a woman's right to choose in the long run" than protecting the lives of pregnant women.

"It's a clever guise to bring the abortion debate to the Florida Legislature," Porth said.

Porth offered several amendments to strip the provisions changing the definition of an unborn child. The amendments all failed.

If the bill (HB513) becomes law, those who cause a pregnancy to be terminated by assaulting or killing a woman will be prosecuted for murdering the baby, regardless of whether they knew the woman was pregnant. The bill clarifies that drunk drivers and reckless drivers who cause a woman's pregnancy to be terminated also are subject to prosecution for murder.

The bill is similar to a 2004 federal law, dubbed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, passed by Congress and signed by President Bush.

Rep. Ralph Poppell, R-Vero Beach, said the bill is needed to make sure that people who murder pregnant women are charged not just for the violent act against the woman, but also her fetus.

"It just says that, 'Look, if you commit this crime and it's against a pregnant lady and the baby dies, you'll be charged twice,'" Poppell said of his bill that passed the House Committee on Home Security & Public Safety today.

It's the Republican-controlled Legislature's first foray into the abortion issue during the 60-day session.

Rep. Evan Jenne, D-Davie, added: "Will we need to do pregnancy tests on every woman of childbearing age in every car accident? There's a lot of questions come up. I'm not sure how this advances the cause of protecting the unborn. I think it just changes definitions."

Before making it the House floor, the proposal still has two more committee stops. The bill has yet to get a hearing in the state Senate.