Ultrasound-Abortion Vote Near

The vote for the ultrasound bill in the Florida Senate will be close. The Senate has 26 Republicans and 14 Democrats. Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller says 13 Democrats and 6 Republicans will vote for the bill. Three Republicans are on the fence. Democrat Gary "Droopy Pants" Siplin will vote for the ultrasound bill. 20 nay votes are needed to kill the bill. Geller has 19.

The bill requires any woman getting an abortion to receive an ultrasound. She may be allowed to look at the results. The earlier version SB 2400 viewing ultrasounds mandatory.

An act relating to abortion; amending s. 390.0111, F.S.; requiring that an ultrasound be performed on any woman obtaining an abortion; specifying who must perform an ultrasound; requiring that the ultrasound be reviewed with the patient prior to the woman giving informed consent; specifying who must review the ultrasound with the patient; requiring that the woman certify in writing that she declined to review the ultrasound and did so of her own free will and without undue influence; providing an exemption from the requirement to view the ultrasound for women who are the victims of rape, incest, domestic violence, or human trafficking or for women who have a serious medical condition necessitating the abortion

Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, rewrote the bill's language to make viewing ultrasounds optional for women. That doesn't make this bill any better. Ultrasounds aren't medically needed for abortions. Republicans are playing to a Christian conservative base that wants to make women feel bad about the choices they make with their bodies.

Democrats will have one more reason to run Gary Siplin out of the party, if this bill passes.