IVF Fight In Florida

A suspension of in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures in Alabama is creating ripples in Florida and has the potential to reshape the political landscape. Democrats in Florida are using the recent decision by the Alabama high court as evidence that upheavals in reproductive health policies extend beyond abortion, a concern they’ve been warning about since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

The Democrats are positioning themselves to hold Republicans accountable for this stance in the upcoming 2024 elections. U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, expressed astonishment at the idea of Republicans simultaneously wanting to force women to stay pregnant against their will and preventing those who wish to conceive through IVF. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee criticized U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) for distancing herself from a bill protecting IVF access.

Whitney Fox, a Democratic contender for Luna’s seat, pledged to enshrine IVF rights into federal law if elected and criticized Luna’s stance. The debate over IVF has prompted Republicans across the country, including governors like Georgia’s Brian Kemp and Tennessee’s Bill Lee, to clarify their positions on the procedure.

President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign is leveraging this issue to link former President Donald Trump and Republicans to the Supreme Court’s decision against Roe v. Wade. In Florida, where abortion access has been restricted, the issue strikes a chord with Democrats. The state’s abortion laws, particularly restrictions at 15 weeks without exemptions for rape and incest victims, are under scrutiny.

While Florida Republicans express support for IVF, concerns arise as eight GOP U.S. House members from the state backed the Life at Conception Act, seen as aligned with the Alabama court’s decision. The Senate Democrats’ bill protecting IVF failed, and efforts are underway to bring it back for further consideration.

Florida’s Republican senators, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, downplayed concerns about IVF. Scott, up for reelection, emphasized rejection of any attempt to restrict IVF, aligning with Trump’s position. However, his opponent, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, criticized him for inaction as Senate Republicans blocked the IVF protections bill.

In the Florida Legislature, a bill allowing parents to seek financial damages in wrongful death cases involving fetuses was postponed. Democrats had raised concerns about the impact on infertility treatments, and the Alabama ruling played a decisive role in delaying the bill, making its passage before the session’s end less likely.