Pregnant Floridians referred to North Carolina as state’s six-week abortion ban begins

The state’s six-week abortion ban starts at midnight Wednesday, but Floridians are already being denied care. Health providers say they’re forced to refer some patients out of state due to other Florida laws on the books. The new six-week ban was approved by the state’s GOP-controlled legislature last year and on hold until a favorable Florida Supreme Court ruling earlier this month. Justices, in a split decision, found the state constitution’s privacy protections didn’t cover abortion access. Florida law is now set to change from restricting abortions past 15 to just six weeks. That's before many know they’re pregnant. It’s also around the time cardiac activity is detected, which some consider a heartbeat.