Florida’s six-week abortion ban officially went into effect on May 1, siphoning off a lifeline for abortion-seekers across the South. Advocates say the ban will have a crushing impact on Floridians and people across the region in need of abortion care.
“The Florida Access Network [FAN] strongly condemns this outright violation of the reproductive rights of all Floridians and people from around the country who’ve counted on Florida as a harbor for abortion access,” the abortion fund said in a statement. “This abortion ban undoubtedly infringes on Floridians’ human rights, autonomy, and freedom, significantly impacting our Black, brown, Indigenous, Latine, and queer communities who struggle to access healthcare the most.”
Nearby states have passed similar restrictions, so abortion-seekers in Florida will now have to travel hundreds of miles to North Carolina, though they can only access care in North Carolina up to 12 weeks. Under Florida’s ban, adults seeking care must appear for two in-person appointments spaced at least 24 hours apart and confirm their pregnancy is under six weeks. Minors unable to obtain parental consent must undergo a process known as a judicial bypass in which they ask a judge for permission to access abortion. Exceptions exist up to 15 weeks for pregnant survivors of sexual assault, incest, or human trafficking, but they must show documentation such as medical records or a police report. Abortion rights advocates have called the ban unrealistic, unaffordable, and cruel.
FAN, one of the few abortion funds in the state, will continue working directly with community members to navigate the restrictions or who are otherwise forced to leave the state for healthcare. Organizers are offering resources and referrals to people seeking abortion care.
“Abortion restrictions impact all of us, and in the words of Renee Bracey Sherman, everyone loves someone who’s had an abortion,” said Stephanie Loraine Piñeiro, the executive director of FAN. “We deserve to live in communities where all pregnancy outcomes, including abortions, are valued and protected—we deserve reproductive justice.”
According to data from the Society of Family Planning, the number of monthly abortions in Florida increased by an average of 40% since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Florida Access Network reports that 15% of its callers had to travel out of the state this year for care. If abortion rights in Florida are not restored, thousands of patients—especially people of color who bear the brunt of abortion bans—will be impacted.
“Florida now joins the growing number of states where extremist politicians have banned abortion and pushed care out of reach, deepening the ongoing abortion care crisis we’re in,” said Nourbese Flint, the president of All* Above All Action Fund, in a statement. “The harm will fall hardest on people who already face systemic barriers to care and can’t afford to travel even further. For these folks, Florida’s ban may be the difference between getting an abortion or being denied.”
Floridians will vote in November on Prop 4, a ballot amendment to restore access to abortion in the state before viability, which is generally around 24 weeks. A May 2022 poll from Florida Atlantic University found that 67% of Floridians want abortion legal in all or most cases, consistent with national trends.
“While it should’ve never gotten to this point, voters can make their voices heard at the ballot box in the upcoming election and reverse this cruel ban,” Flint said. “Between now and November, All* Above All Action Fund is all hands on deck with our partners in Florida—educating voters about what’s at stake and rallying with our communities to make it clear that abortion justice belongs in Florida.”
North Carolina is currently the only state left in the southeastern U.S. with a 12-week abortion ban. With Florida’s ban in effect, the DC Abortion Fund (DCAF) says the capacity of abortion clinics and funds in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia will be impacted. The fund is already seeing an increase in the number of people traveling for abortion care.
“Florida’s limited abortion access has functioned as a Band-Aid for the South,” said Jade Hurley, the communications manager for DCAF. “That Band-Aid is now being ripped off.”
Hurley said DCAF has served 34 Floridians in 2024, 13 of which reached out to them in April alone.
“We expect this forced migration to worsen, overwhelming clinics and abortion funds in North Carolina, Virginia, and D.C.,” Hurley said. “We still don’t have the dollars, appointments, or capacity to serve everyone who will need us this summer.”
Advocates encourage people in Florida seeking abortion care to reach out to the Carolina Abortion Fund, the DC Abortion Fund, the Chicago Abortion Fund, Florida funds, and other abortion access groups across the country. Plan C Pills and Aid Access can also help people access abortion medication.
