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Rally underway in Orlando as Florida’s 15-week abortion ban ruling looms

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida’s new 15-week abortion ban is now before a circuit judge only four days before it’s set to take effect.

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On Monday, the judge heard arguments in the abortion restrictions state lawmakers passed this year.

Channel 9 went through the latest abortion report from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, which states that health care workers in our state performed nearly 80,000 abortions in that time frame.

READ: Judge’s decision may impact people traveling to Florida for abortions

Just under 94% of those procedures happened during the first trimester. Workers performed the remaining abortions during the second trimester. Florida’s abortion ban after 15 weeks falls a few weeks after the end of the first trimester.

Another rally is taking place in Orlando as the law is ready to go into effect in a few days.

On Monday, a Leon County judge heard arguments on the proposed injunction to temporarily block the law to stop abortions after 15 weeks.

WATCH: Roe v. Wade overturned: Which states will ban abortion; where will they remain legal?

Several clinics across the state, including Planned Parenthood in Central Florida and the ACLU, are suing, saying the law violated Florida’s constitution that guarantees a person’s right to be free from government intrusion.

Anti-abortion groups want the judge to throw the lawsuit out, saying the constitution doesn’t apply to abortion and there is no right to sue.

The judge is expected to make a decision soon. Demonstrators will be marching to Orlando City Hall soon.

WATCH: Central Florida reacts to Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on abortion rights

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Shannon Butler

Shannon Butler, WFTV.com

Shannon joined the Eyewitness News team in 2013.

Adam Poulisse, WFTV.com

Adam Poulisse joined WFTV in November 2019.