Abortion ultrasound bill fails on a tie vote

Left- Senator Daniel Webster-R, Winter Garden, reacts to the 20-20 tie vote on his abortion bill in the Senate, Wednesday. His bill was defeated.  Scott Keeler | Times

The vote was a stunning rebuke for the bill's sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden, who's in the final week of an impressive 28-year legislative career. The decision also spares Gov. Charlie Crist a politically tough decision of whether to sign or veto the bill (SB 2400). The self-described "live and let live" governor has not said what he would have done, at a time when he is mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick. 

The floor debate on both sides was among the most emotional and eloquent of the session, as Webster spoke of a woman overseas who had pregancy complications but refused to abort a fetus -- who became Heisman-trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow at the University of Florida.

A supporter, Sen. Ronda Storms (left), R-Brandon, wondered why opponents didn't want pregnant women to "see that little baby sucking his thumb," and Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, said the ultrasound is simply one more piece of information. "God forbid a woman may change her mind," he said.

Seven Republicans voted no: Mike Bennett, Lisa Carlton, Paula Dockery, Dennis Jones, Jim King, Evelyn Lynn and Burt Saunders. Democrat Gary Siplin voted yes.

"Unless we ovulate," King said, "we have no place making decisions affecting women's reproductive rights." He said the bill, with its ultrasound provision, tramples on the Republican Party principle of "less government, more freedom."

Several opponents said the bill interferes with the doctor-patient relationship. They also cited the Legislature's decision to eliminate adoption subsidies in a tight budget year, which will make it harder for unwanted foster children to be placed with families. "From the looks of our budget, we can't seem to afford the children we already have," said Sen. Mandy Dawson, D-Fort Lauderdale.

Comments

The same ones who voted against involvement in the Schiavo case. I feel bad for Sen. Webster. I guess the Atwater attack ads will start today in his district.

Webster, Fascano, Pruitt, Posey, Rubio, Hasner, Sansom - none coud care less about children or their families!

Oink, oink, oink - all they are interested in is proctecting CSX, St. Joe Paper Company, and all their PORK!!!!

This is sad. Abortion is wrong in all cases where the pregnancy is inconvenient. When will common sense prevail, because it sure didn't with this vote.

Yes, God Forbid our do-nothing Governor actually have to make up his mind on any issue. The ONLY thing he is good at is photo ops.

Mandy Dawson actually said that?!? We can't afford the ones we have now, so killing children is a money saver?? That's the most disgusting thing I've heard so far this Session.

[Kenneth]

Next thing you know, some wack job conservative will propose legislation requiring that you name the fetus before having an abortion.

THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!

it is a wonderful thing to know that some illiterate, inarticulate, drooling, backwoods, racist, mysoginist moron from upstate repiglicana WILLNOT be involved a womans PRIVATE,PERSONAL decisons!

THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!

We should have elected Randall Terry to represent District 8. At least he has a spine. I find it sickening how these legislators can oppose a measure that is designed to educate women on the issue. It's a sad day when our legislature is trying to prevent a woman from choosing to give birth to her child.

Thank you Senator King for compromising those convictions of your constituents that got you elected.

Kenneth... would have lots of death certificates with the name Spot on them...

12"41 - I would venture to guess that Senator King did in fact vote for the convictions of the majority of his constituents... otherwise Randall Terry would have been elected.

[steve]

I'm so glad these bible thumping idiots who tried to pass a moral bill in which the only intent was to guilt a woman into not having an abortion was vetoed. This bill was to inform women of all her options...Please. What a woman chooses to do with her body is her own decision.

Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Brandon, wondered why opponents didn't want pregnant women to "see that little baby sucking his thumb,"

…What a freaking nutjob this split-tail is. Hey Storms!… ask you boys Dubya and Dickey how many parents miss seeing their 18, 19, and 20-year old children they sent to Iraq on a lie?

Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, said the ultrasound is simply one more piece of information. "God forbid a woman may change her mind," he said.

… God forbid you dopes should actually do something in Tallahassee other than trucknuts, toilet paper, and dumping 700-million tax dollars to your friends at CSX!

"Unless we ovulate," King said, "we have no place making decisions affecting women's reproductive rights."

… I’ve got to give him that one.

They also cited the Legislature's decision to eliminate adoption subsidies in a tight budget year, which will make it harder for unwanted foster children to be placed with families.

… and in there lay the political hypocrisy of it all.

Please, please, please – for the sake of our world… VOTE ALL OF THESE IDIOTS OUT!

My body, my choice. I don't think anyone should interfere with that. Guilting a woman into carrying and birthing a child she doesn't want is just terrible. There are too many children of the state already...why force someone to add to that? I'm glad it failed.

it is a wonderful thing to know that some illiterate, inarticulate, drooling, backwoods, racist, mysoginist moron from upstate repiglicana WILLNOT be involved a womans PRIVATE,PERSONAL decisons!

Wow, except for "upstate," your comment describes the South Florida Democratic Representatives almost perfectly.

Mind your own business! THANK YOU, THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!

The Republican Party of Florida cares for the unborn. But after you are born, they don't give a damn.

I had to read the last paragraph three times because it is simply unbelievable. It is stating that a tight budget warrants killing babies.

[Louis]

I would support this bill if it had the provision of requiring by law, that all American African males have vasectomies at the age of 14… until such time that the AA community reduces its 70% out-of-wedlock birth rate.

This is typical Floriduuuh politics. Force women to have babies, but destroy childcare and education programs. “We care about children, so we’ll force you to have them… then you’re on you own.”

Amen Jim King! Now if only we could find a way to turn our attention to the SPERM DONORS and justify why it is alright for them to abort the raising of their children. We continue to look to the women for responsibility of conception. HELLO.....last time I checked it takes two to make a baby. Where are all these fathers making good on their decisions?

1:19 - now now... sperm donors are just participating in a commodity transaction...

[d]

It strikes me as odd ... the anti abortionist are interested in a baby until it is out of the womb. after that it's on it's own.
They are not interested in educating the young on the benefits of birth control or give counseling to young women who are coming of age.
abstinence is a good thing but not the only thing...

[Linda]

Unforuntely they are correct that Government doesn't belong in personal decisions. However, Information isn't a bad thing and isn't making the choice to abort or not that would still be the Woman's decision.
Shame on you for keeping Women in the dark on this subject!

I personally adopted two babies here in Florida and I thank those women everyday of my life for the sacrafice they made to NOT abort!!!

I am so happy this did not pass! It is funny to see how hypocritical Repubs are, force woman to keep an unwanted child that will then end up in an underfunded welfare program. That makes complete sense!

Praise the Lord!

1:19 - 1:25 again... kinda like crude oil... without another process/step/factor... crude oil does us no good.

Then why should I as a father be forced to pay child support? When I made a concious decision to have intercourse with the girl, I did not want a baby, and don't think that I should have to pay for it just because she decided to have it. Its NOT just her choice.

What's that you said? I should be personally responsible for my actions? You mean to tell me that because two consenting adults made the decision to have sex, that we should both be responsible for that child? I was told that's what the government was for... To be responsible for me on my behalf.

Doesn't really add up does it?

[Steve]

Hooray! The Democrats, otherwise known as the sound-minded people prevailed. It's nice to see Florida progress and not regress. Ronda Storms - go crawl back in your hole.

Steve, can't give Democrats sole credit for killing this one...

And if it were not for Siplin, you could have given Republicans sole credit for pushing it...

This is obviously a very touchy subject. I am a 20 year old male, so being on the outside of this situation looking in this is completely assanine.

The bill that is. Most of you people going for the bill have obviously never been in that type of situation and for you to judge so quikly is ignorant on your part.

You have no idea how hard it is to go with that decision nor do I. I would much rather have someone go through with an abortion than raise a kid in a household that cant afford for the child and not have all the advantages most of you take for granted.

Please for a moment push religous beliefs to the side and think of this.

King was briliant. And the sen. who talked about a Yale art project with abortions never mentioned that it's an urban myth, just like she didn't mention other things that didn't suit her argument.
King has a lot to teach some of those new members.

Kings constituents had a choice themselves in the last election, when pro-lifer Randall Terry was defeated by big numbers. They chose King. The rest of the state should send them all a big thank you.

[Rosie]

I thought the bill was just to have a ultrasound, her decision to abort would still be up to her. Are these comments saying if she see it she would decide it is a life and keep it instead. What are you saying keep her in the dark so she doesn't know, so she can believe it just a piece of mass. The logic in the comments are strange.

[jack]

FloriDUH!

[Kenneth]

There's so much that we pro-choice, and you pro-lifers could do to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies (and thus the number of abortions) if we could work together. Unfortunately all we get from our Reps is black and white with no gray areas.

Look at it this way… each newborn child enters this country already with 45K debt attached, thanks to Dubya and Dickey’s war. The more kids we have, the lesser our individual debt… see?

OK parents (and non parents) get busy screwing like… well, like the government has been doing to us for decades… we’re 4000+ behind already.

Webster's speech was eloquent and reasonable. His bill simply gave patients more information. How hypocritical that people who claim to care about womens' health want them making decisions with LESS information instead of MORE.

Dawson did indeed make that argument - and so did Jim King. "The state is already paying for too many unwanted kids." Think about what they are saying. That is truly repulsive. We need more Websters in the Legislature and less cynical creeps. No names.

Thank you for your input 1:54... errr... STAFFER!

NOW, GET BACK TO WORK WASTING TIME AND STEALING MY TAXES... PUNK!

It is a simple fact that there ARE too many unwanted kids, and the state IS paying for them. That is sad, but it is a fact, and there's nothing sinister about it, just sad.
It would be so much better to do more to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but the extremists refuse to allow that.

1:54

was there anything in the budget to pay for these required ultrasounds?

How ignorant all of you are who talk about providing the woman with information. All she has to do is ask her doctor questions. By law, he or she has to answer any medical question she has. If she doesn't have information, it's because she didn't ask. As far as being hypocritical, which party is cutting health care benefits for children. Which party has placed barriers in front of all people adopting children.

Give me a break.

How ignorant all of you are who talk about providing the woman with information. All she has to do is ask her doctor questions. By law, he or she has to answer any medical question she has. If she doesn't have information, it's because she didn't ask. As far as being hypocritical, which party is cutting health care benefits for children. Which party has placed barriers in front of all people adopting children.

Give me a break.

Webster loses on Schiavo and now his abortion bill.
I guess God doesn't love Senator Webster.

[Mike]

It just gives me great pleasure to see Storms on the losing side of a bill. When she loses, we all win. By the way, when are a bunch of old and fat men going to stop having control over women's uteruses?

That would be the Party of "conservative" values and actions... ummm... HA!

What if we let the homertesticles and lesbotarians adopt children… would that help?

2:17 - why would the people from Lesbos Greece want to adopt our unwanted children?

In fact, every state in this nation allows gay couples to adopt, except Flori-DUH. Beats the heck out of orphanages and foster care.

IMHO STFU MYOB!

1:42, It's NOT an "urban legend"...

http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/24532

[Kay]

There is already nothing stopping a woman from having this information if she so chooses. There is no need to force it - women are not idiots!