Florida has become the latest state to enact a pro-life law. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality bill into law Thursday morning in a live-streamed ceremony.

Florida Enacts Protections for Unborn Babies at 15 Weeks https://t.co/IeOANY8LxM

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 14, 2022

Per the Miami Herald:

The measure, House Bill 5, contains the strictest prohibition passed in Florida during the Roe v. Wade era. It does not come with exceptions for pregnancies that are the result of rape, incest or human trafficking. Under the law, women can still obtain an abortion if their health is threatened or if their baby has a “fatal fetal abnormality.”

During the ceremony, DeSantis said: “We believe that all these kids deserve an opportunity,” adding, “We’re not just giving lip service to that, we’re actually signing legislation.”

The Florida law, which takes effect July 1, comes on the heels of Oklahoma’s near-total abortion ban, signed into law on Tuesday. As my colleague, Jerry Wilson noted in his write up of the Oklahoma law:

The bill sharply refocuses the abortion debate. With a possible overturn of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court, returning abortion to a state-level issue, conservative states are now increasingly emboldened to pass laws either severely restricting abortion or outlawing it altogether.

At Thursday’s signing, DeSantis hailed the significance of the law:

“We are here today to defend those that can’t defend themselves,” he said. “It is the most significant protection for life that’s been enacted in this state in a generation.”

DeSantis said being a parent is a big responsibility, but it’s something he “wouldn’t trade for the world.”

“This is a statement of our values, that every life is important,” he said.

Every life is important. Indeed.