Activists stage protest as Manatee County aims to become ‘Safe Haven’ from abortion
Activists made another stand against Manatee County’s proposed abortion ban just hours before officials discussed asking Florida’s attorney general for legal advice.
Protesters rallied outside the county’s Administrative Center in downtown Bradenton on Tuesday morning. Inside the building, the Board of County Commissioners voted in favor of sending a letter to Ashley Moody in hopes of implementing anti-abortion restrictions.
“The undersigned majority of the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners, after due consideration, have a desire to establish Manatee County as a ‘Safe Haven’ for developing children who are inside their mother’s womb,” the proposed letter read.
Board members previously discussed asking Moody whether the county has a legal standing to enact a local abortion ban. Manatee’s letter comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it would not step in to prevent Texas’ controversial anti-abortion law from going into effect.
Commissioner James Satcher first proposed enacting a local ban on abortion — the medical procedure that terminates a pregnancy — in June. Even though there are no active abortion clinics in Manatee County, Satcher found support from Commissioners Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Vanessa Baugh, two conservative Republicans on the board.
“Therefore, we are asking your legal guidance regarding how to best navigate a successful ‘Safe Haven’ ordinance. We do not wish to compete with any other legislative bodies pursuing the goal of protecting life in Florida,” the letter continues. “It is our desire to be an encouragement to others in their efforts so that they are more effective than they otherwise might be.”
Commissioners George Kruse, Satcher, Van Ostenbridge and Baugh voted in favor of the letter, while Commissioners Reggie Bellamy, Misty Servia and Carol Whitmore voted against it. The board also directed County Attorney Bill Clague to prepare a request for a formal advisory opinion from Moody’s office.
Protester detained, denied access to building
Outside on the steps of the building along Manatee Avenue, about 50 people protested putting local abortion restrictions in place and demanded the board back away from the asking Moody whether the county has a legal standing, which they called a waste of time and money.
“Abortion is constitutionally protected at both the federal and the state level. I think this is all a big show and a waste of taxpayer dollars that could be used elsewhere,” said Becs Gutherz, 37, of Bradenton.
Gutherz, who held a pink sign that read “Satcher, leave my uterus alone. We will not go back,” was joined by fellow pro-choice activists who made similar statements.
“I attended my first women’s rights march when I was 17. I have been at this for 50 years, but I’m not tired. I’m not quitting,” said Anne Symons, 66, of Bradenton. “I will never allow a government to control a woman’s body.”
Sparks flew right before board members paused their meeting for lunch. Deputies with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said one activist tried to enter the building with a poster sign, which are not allowed inside the county building. Another protester took offense to that person being kept out of the building and began screaming at deputies.
While other demonstrators shouted in the lobby, deputies handcuffed the woman and detained her at the Manatee County Judicial Center across the street.
As the board discussed the issue, commissioners made several arguments for and against sending the letter. Some said they didn’t think there was any harm in seeking guidance, while others argued that the county has no business regulating abortion facilities.
“I don’t agree that we should be sending letters before we know what’s going on. I hear a lot about government overreach,” Commissioner Servia said. “I don’t know why this is not considered government overreach.”
“People who fight fact-finding are scared of the facts you’re going to find,” Kruse countered. “This is not a vote on doing something. It’s a vote on moving forward with due diligence.”
Even as the county pursues its own ban, state officials in the Florida Legislature have already announced that they hope to use Texas as a model for their own statewide abortion law. If a bill is signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis next year, it would likely overrule any ban that the county puts into place.
Speaking during public comment, pro-life residents said they supported the commission’s ongoing effort to look into a local ban on abortions.
“To think that we have so-called strong Republicans that would be against or abstain from this vote for the banning of abortion clinics in this county is a disgrace not only to the Republican Party of Manatee County but also a disgrace to the voters who voted for you in the past,” said Jason Bearden, a candidate who is running as a Republican against Whitmore in 2022’s primary election.
“Personally, I’m pro-life, especially once a heartbeat is detected. There are too many methods of birth control for sexually active, responsible individuals, as well as the morning-after pill for the irresponsible,” added April Allison Culbreath. “We don’t have any clinics right now and we the people of Manatee do not want any built here in the future.“
If the board wants to pursue the local ban, Clague urged them to get an opinion from Moody. He noted that former Attorney General Jim Smith’s 1985 opinion might prevent the county from moving forward.
“In conclusion, unless and until judicially determined otherwise, I am of the opinion that the state has preempted the field of regulating and licensing abortion clinics, and therefore, municipalities are not authorized to adopt an ordinance regulating (other than reasonable zoning ordinances) or banning such clinics,” Smith wrote at the time.
“There is a case that suggests that the county is pre-empted from legislating in this area,” Clague told commissioners. “Before you have these policy debates, you have to make sure you have the authority to do what you want to do.”
Satcher, who has encouraged his fellow board members to support the cause, said he believes that the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling from 1973 has been outdated by modern technology.
“In 1985, you had to take the doctor’s word for it when they showed you an ultrasound,” Satcher said, who has also compared the anti-abortion ordinance to the county’s efforts to protect endangered wildlife.
Clague said his office will begin putting together the documents required to make an official submission to Moody’s office. It’s unclear when Moody would respond to the county’s request.
This story was originally published September 14, 2021 at 4:06 PM.
