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After impassioned debate, the state senate voted to require pregnant women seeking abortions to pay for an ultrasound, while minor females seeking to avoid getting their parents permission for an abortion will have to do so closer to home. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the next decision is up to Governor Rick Scott.

As the national day of prayer was being celebrated in the Capitol Courtyard, an emotional debate in the Florida Senate was unfolding on changes to parental notification laws.

“Just because a young person has problems at home, is no excuse to allow them to be taken all across the state to have major surgery,” Sen. Alan Hayes (R-Umatilla County) said.

Lawmakers are saying that the court granting the abortion must be close to the woman’s home. Opponents say the change will hurt young women.

“This serves as an obstacle, hurdle to young women,” Sen. Arthenia Joyner (D-Tampa) said.

Next the discussion turned to requiring a woman to pay for an ultrasound before having an abortion.

“It’s giving them more information,” Sen. Thad Altman (R-Brevard County) said.

As the debate continued, Senator Evelyn Lynn had had enough.

“I came up here this year, not to tell you what to do with your bodies,” Sen. Lynn said. “I came up here to help put food on their table. I came up here to get jobs.”

But Sponsor Rhonda Storms countered that decisions on life and death matters are exactly why lawmakers are meeting.

“Every vote that you take is a value that you have made,” Storms said.

Both bills went to the Governor.

There’s little doubt Governor Rick Scott will sign the abortion legislation.

The ultrasound legislation takes effect in July and changes to parental notification will take place in October.

Although the ultrasound legislation requires a woman to pay for the procedure, she is not required to view the pictures. Under the parental consent legislation, parental permissions must be in writing and notarized.