Maddow Blog | Florida GOP’s radical abortion ban takes effect, affecting region

To appreciate just how aggressive the Florida Republicans’ abortion ban is, consider the fact that Donald Trump last year condemned the far-right policy as “a terrible thing.” As recently as last month, the former president — who has celebrated his role in destroying the popular Roe v. Wade precedent — said Florida’s six-week ban is so far from what people want, it’s “probably” going to have to change.

But it didn’t change. Last month, the Florida Supreme Court cleared the way for the GOP-imposed abortion ban to take effect on May 1. That, of course, is today.

The ban — which includes exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the woman — will likely have the effect of a full abortion ban because many women don’t even know they’re pregnant after six weeks.

As NBC News reported, the implementation of the policy will reverberate throughout the region.

“We don’t want to be an abortion tourism destination,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said last year.

Now, it won’t be.

As for the near future, a New York Times report added that all of the changes could prove temporary: “A ballot measure in November will ask Florida voters whether to amend the constitution to allow abortions until about 24 weeks. It will require more than 60 percent support to pass, a high threshold, and it would not take effect until January, assuming that lawmakers or anti-abortion groups did not challenge it in court.”

Watch this space.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com