Reproductive Rights News Roundup – March 29th 2025

We’re on Day 25 of Florida’s 60-day Legislative Session and next week, the top 3 WORST bills for reproductive freedom will be on a committee agenda. This process is meant to include our voices; don’t wait to speak out. If you can make it to the committees in Tallahassee, we have folks who can help you with testimony!

On Thursday, April 3rd, the Florida House will vote on HB 1205, a bill containing sweeping attacks on the citizen-led amendment process. If this bill passes, it would severely restrict our ability to propose policies to improve our communities, especially when politicians refuse to act. It is essential that we mobilize in opposition to HB 1205. Click here to contact your State House Representative in opposition — please encourage those in your network to do the same.

Bills to take action on:

The bill Stopping Young People from Accessing Health Care: attempts to restrict the freedom of young people to access birth control, family planning, and risk assessment surveys for topics like abuse and mental health struggles.
- Oppose HB 1505 (in House Health & Human Services on 3/31 at 1:30pm)
- Oppose SB 1288 (in Senate Judiciary on 4/1 at 4:00pm)
The bill to Further Criminalize Health Care: we’ve seen the harm of laws like this in other states, where they’ve been used to try to ban abortion entirely, shut down fertility treatments like IVF, harass survivors of abuse and their support systems, and put patients at risk of losing emergency care or cancer treatments solely because they’re pregnant.
- Oppose SB 1284(in Senate Judiciary on 4/1 at 4:00pm)
The bill to Push Indoctrination in Public Schools: requires students to view a misleading, medically inaccurate video on fetal development.
- Oppose HB 1255 (action page coming soon, in the meantime, ask members to oppose in House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee on 4/1 at 12:30pm)
The bill Attacking Diversity in Local Governments: silences local governments from recognizing and addressing their diverse communities’ needs.
- Oppose SB 420 (in Senate Judiciary on 4/1 at 4:00pm)

This past week, a rare thing happened: multiple bad bills were stalled and an attempt to rollback gun safety measures implemented after the Parkland tragedy was actually defeated in committee. This is what’s possible when we keep up the advocacy and maintain hope.

New Resource: Warn Others about Anti-Abortion Centers

The Fake Clinics Workgroup within FRF has released a new brochure warning Floridians about anti-abortion centers as well as offering legitimate resources. Click here for the folder of printable files as well as tips on getting the word out. Looking to edit a brochure to include local resources you trust? Email Cheyenne@progressflorida.org.

Brochures warning Floridians about anti-abortion centers

Events & Volunteer Opportunities

Clinic Defense Training w/Florida Access Network & ARC Southeast
Saturday, March 29th 11:00am-1:00pm EST and Friday, April 4th, 5:00pm-6:00pm EST
Join to discuss the definition of practical support, clinic etiquette, caller engagement, and the importance of mutual aid.
Click here to sign up.

After Abortion Care Kit Party & Blanket Making w/Florida Access Network
Sunday, March 30th at 2:00pm EST
Quakers of Orlando
Click here to volunteer.

In this Together Tuesdays: Updates & Advocacy w/ Planned Parenthood
Tuesday, April 1st at 5:30pm EST
Click here to sign up for the Zoom.

Making Emergency Contraception Accessible on Your Campus w/ASEC
April 2nd 2:00pm-3:00pm EST and April 3rd 2:00pm-3:00pm EST
Register here for April 2nd (Community Colleges) and here for April 3rd (4-Year Colleges)

Women Rise Up St. Pete
Saturday, April 5th at noon
Visibility event in Downtown St. Pete in solidarity with nationwide protests and actions.
Learn more and sign up.

Care. No Matter What. Orlando Dinner w/Planned Parenthood
Thursday, April 10th at 6:00pm EST
Featuring former Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy.
Click here to register.

Be a partner for upcoming Black Maternal Health Week.
April 11th-17th
Click here for the partner packet on how to support the Central Florida Birth Network.

Safety & De-Escalation Trainingw/Florida for All
Saturday, April 12th 10:00am-6:00pm (lunch provided)
Tampa
Click here to sign up.

Spiritual Support and Counseling Online Training w/All Options and Faith Aloud
April 23rd-May 28th
Learn tools & skills to provide open-hearted, compassionate spiritual support to people in their reproductive decisions and experiences.
Learn more here.

News Roundup

Florida
Citizen-led amendments in Florida would get stricter rules under new legislation
By Dara Kam, News Service of Florida
A Florida House committee on Wednesday approved a controversial ballot-initiative measure that would impose new requirements on gathering, submitting and validating petition signatures and increase penalties for wrongdoing.

Florida teens may soon need parental consent for contraception, STI testing under new bill
By Ana GonÞi-Lessan, USA Today Network-Florida
Survivors of childhood sexual assault overwhelmingly spoke out against legislation that would require parental consent for contraception and treatment for sexually transmitted infections for minors, arguing it would not only cause unintended teen pregnancies, but could also prevent or delay minors from receiving medical care.

Amid rise of STI rates among teens, a bill could risk their access to treatment and birth control
By Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix
Florida teens are contracting sexually transmitted infections at rates higher than in the past decade, and a bill advancing in the Republican-controlled Legislature would require them to tell their parents to secure treatment.

Florida Legislature 2025: An authoritarian turn in the state House (audio)
By Jason Garcia, Seeking Rents
In this episode: Republicans in Tallahassee want to punish the state’s chief economist because she refused to bend to political pressure during a debate last year over an abortion-rights ballot measure.

Bill making it safer to surrender infants ready for House floor
By Andrew Powell, Florida Politics
The House Health and Human Services Committee unanimously passed a measure 25-0 that seeks to implement protective spaces for newborn infants who are being surrendered by their parents.

National
Anti-abortion groups mount effort to strip Planned Parenthood funding ahead of Supreme Court hearing
By Christine Fernando, Associated Press
Major anti-abortion groups were gathering in the nation’s capital on Thursday to begin a lobbying effort with Congress and President Donald Trump’s administration aimed at eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood ahead of the Supreme Court hearing a case in April that could strip the organization’s funding in South Carolina.

Senate Confirms Trump’s Anti-Abortion Pick to Lead the FDA
By Julianne McShane, Mother Jones
On Tuesday night, the Senate 56 to 44 voted to confirm Martin Makary as Trump’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner.

Debate over the abortion pill mifepristone resurfaces after Makary is confirmed to head the FDA
By Laura Ungar and Matthew Perrone, Associated Press
Many Americans wonder whether the pill used in most U.S. abortions will be restricted under the new Republican administration in Washington.

4 Lawsuits From Conservatives Target Your Health Privacy Protection
By Jessica Mason Pieklo, Rewire
One of the truly useful steps the Biden administration took in the wake of the Supreme Court reversing Roe v. Wade was strengthening privacy protections for patients seeking reproductive health care.

For people with higher body weights, abortions can be more costly or out of reach
By Sofia Resnick, States Newsroom
Lexis Dotson-Dufault’s second pregnancy, like her first, was marked by incessant vomiting.

Fetal Personhood Bills Are Flooding State Legislatures
By Andrea González-Ramírez, The Cut
On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump signed an anti-trans executive order that also functioned as a gift to abortion opponents.

Maternal near-miss survivors, abortion-rights advocates speak out against Georgia’s 6-week ban
By Jess Mador, WABE Atlanta
Around two months into Avery Davis Bell’s pregnancy with her second son last year, she started bleeding.

Forced to Carry a Dying Baby, This Texas Mother of Four Says She Didn’t Think It Could Happen to Her
By Bonnie Fuller, Ms. Magazine
Samantha Casiano, an east Texas mother of four, tells her story of life and loss to COURIER Texas writer Bonnie Fuller.

Kentucky governor vetoes GOP abortion bill, says it undermines doctors and endangers pregnant women
By Bruce Schreiner, Associated Press
A Republican-backed bill touted as an attempt to bring clarity to Kentucky’s near-total abortion ban was vetoed Tuesday by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who said it would do the opposite by undermining the judgment of doctors while further imperiling the lives of pregnant women in emergency situations.

EMILYs List sets ambitious course to flip U.S. House in 2026
By Jennifer Shutt, States Newsroom
A group that focuses on electing Democratic women who support abortion rights announced Wednesday it would target 46 U.S. House seats held by Republicans in the midterm elections as it seeks to turn the chamber from red to blue.

Job Openings

Tampa Bay Abortion Fund is hiring an Executive Director.
$90,000-$100,000/year.
Apply here asap.

ACLU is hiring a Summer Social Media intern.
Stipend available.
Apply here.

Progress Florida is hiring a Digital Organizer.
$38,000-$50,000/year.
Apply here.

Men 4 Choice is hiring a Communications Director.
$70,000-$85,000/year.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Power to Decide is hiring a Philanthropy Director.
$108,000-$125,000/year, fully remote.
Click here to apply.

APIA Vote is accepting applications for their summer internship.
Apply by 4/1.

Equality Florida & Mukti Fund are hiring a Community Organizing Fellow, Grants Fellow, & Health, Education, and Program Impact fellow.
Learn more here.

The ERA Coalition is hiring Public Policy & Social Media interns.
Class credit available.
Learn more here.