Fla. House votes to curb abortions

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., April 28 (UPI) -- Florida's House voted to curb abortion through several bills, including one requiring women seeking an abortion to first review sonogram pictures of the fetus.

"It doesn't matter whether that baby drives a truck or flips burgers at McDonald's or takes Rep. [Jason] Brodeur's seat over there. It's all going to be worth it," said Republican state Rep. Paige Kreegel of Punta Gorda, who is also a doctor.

The focus of the day's debate Wednesday was the so-called ultrasound bill, passed last year but vetoed by then-Gov. Charlie Crist.

"What are we scared of?" Republican Rep. James Grant of Tampa asked. "Are we scared of women discovering there is a heartbeat?" the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

Democrat Rep. Daphne Campbell of Miami broke ranks, voting with Republicans after citing the biblical "Thou shall not kill" commandment from the Torah.

Democratic Rep. Scott Randolph of Orlando, a vocal opponent of the GOP-sponsored abortion bills, was so upset with Campbell for siding with Republicans that he told her he'd get an opponent to unseat her in two years, The Miami Herald and St. Petersburg Times reported.

"You have no right. God put me here," Campbell retorted.

Earlier this month Randolph complained that while Republicans wished to repeal rules and regulations on corporations, they were quick to impose rules and regulations on individuals. He said his wife had decided the only way to protect her rights was to "incorporate her uterus."

The House passed the ultrasound bill 81-37 and five other abortion-restricting bills by similar margins.

The other bills include a ban on the use of state dollars to purchase health insurance that would cover abortions, a ban on most abortions after a fetus is "viable" and requirements doctors inform parents if a teenager comes to them for an abortion. That bill also makes it hard for a teen to get a notification waiver from a judge.

Most of the bills are pending in the Senate, where they are expected to pass and be signed by Gov. Rick Scott.