On May 1, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech in Jacksonville, Florida, criticizing the state’s recently approved six-week abortion ban and attributing its existence to policies promoted by former President Donald Trump. Harris’s remarks came as she highlighted the ban’s restrictive nature, noting that it could impact women who may not be aware they are pregnant within the six-week timeframe. This law was upheld by Florida’s Supreme Court earlier in April.

Harris’s visit to Florida followed President Joe Biden’s trip, signaling the Democratic Party’s focus on reproductive rights in the state, particularly as Florida prepares for a ballot measure in November that may legalize abortion until viability. During her speech, Harris denounced what she described as misinformation from Trump regarding his stance on abortion, emphasizing the importance of integrity and transparency on such critical issues.

In other news, on the same day, Arizona’s Senate voted to repeal a pre-statehood law from 1864 that banned all abortions from the moment of conception, with no exceptions for rape or incest. This repeal, supported by some Republicans and all Senate Democrats, aligns Arizona’s laws with the 2022 statute that allows abortions up to 15 weeks of pregnancy. Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, is anticipated to sign the repealing bill, formally aligning the state laws with prevailing legislative standards in the post-Roe v. Wade era, where states individually determine abortion laws.

Meanwhile in Kansas, Republican attempts to overturn Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of a proposed ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors were unsuccessful. Falling two votes short of the required two-thirds majority, the veto upheld provisions that include a prohibition against state employees promoting social transitioning for transgender youth. This decision aligns with positions from leading medical authorities, like the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, which advocate for the availability of gender-affirming care as essential to the well-being of transgender minors.