ORLANDO, Fla. — Advocates in Central Florida are making their voices heard after House lawmakers passed a bill Thursday that would prohibit abortions after 15 weeks.


What You Need To Know

  •  The Florida House passed a bill Thursday that would outlaw abortions after 15 weeks

  •  While some proponents of the bill have called the move a win, others say it doesn't go far enough

  • Opponents of the bill say decisions about abortion should be left to the individual

Those for abortion rights are upset that the bill is one step closer to becoming law, while on the other side, proponents of the bill either feel the passage is a win, or that it doesn’t go far enough.

“I would like to see a brave politician begin to take the stand of granting personhood back to the unborn children to declare them persons,” said Michele Herzog, the director of Pro-Life Action Ministries of Central Florida.

Herzog believes life begins at the moment of conception and against abortion at any time during a pregnancy.

Stephanie Fraim, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, argues the decision of whether or not to have an abortion should be left up to each individual.

“We don’t know a person’s personal circumstances, we don’t walk in their shoes,” she said. “So that decision to choose adoption, end of pregnancy or raise a child, is always best left to the pregnant person, their family, their faith and their physician.”

The GOP-controlled House passed the bill after several hours of debate between Democrats who said the measure would impose an unnecessary burden on women, and Republicans who said they were protecting the unborn.

The bill now moves to the Republican-controlled Senate.