hour law

Many abortion clinics across south Florida are facing crippling fines from the state after the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) started fining clinics for not adhering to what’s called the 24-hour law.

The law passed in 2015, and requires abortion clinics to wait a full 24 hours from the time a patient comes in for a consultation to perform the abortion.

The law was tabled for seven years amid legal battles over its constitutionality.

However, in April of 2022, a Leon County Circuit Judge upheld the law, meaning clinics now had to comply. However, many of the abortion clinics across the state told WPTV that AHCA, who regulates these laws, never told them about the change.

“It’s like this law was passed overnight, while everyone was sleeping,” said one Broward County provider, who asked WPTV not to share her name or her face.

“When did you get contacted by AHCA?” asked WPTV’s Kate Hussey.

“AHCA never contacted us. About the 24 hour? No, they never contacted us,” the provider said.

“You asked us to keep your face and name out of this story, why is that?” asked Hussey.

“So, we are not targeted for any reason,” the provider