Florida fines Orlando abortion clinic $193,000

Business accused of not adhering to 24-hour waiting period

ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando clinic is challenging a $193,000 fine after allegations it violated a law that requires a 24-hour waiting period for performing abortions.

The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), which oversees regulation of abortion clinics, issued an administrative complaint against the Center of Orlando for Women.

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According to the complaint, the clinic didn’t comply with the law, which was passed in 2015, but has been challenged in the courts. It was upheld by a Leon County judge on April 25.

The law requires people seeking an abortion to wait at least 24 hours to get the procedure after an initial visit to a clinic.

The AHCA said from April 26 to May 11, the Center of Orlando for Women performed 193 abortions on the same day of initial visits and is charging $1,000 per violation.

Attorney Julie Gallagher, who represents the clinic, said the fine would likely bankrupt the business.

Gallagher issued the following statement to News 6:

In a court response, Gallagher said the fine should be much less and requested a formal hearing. She’s now awaiting a response from AHCA.

This comes nearly two weeks after a Miami clinic, Doctor’s Office for Women, Inc., which does business as Today’s Women Medical Center, challenged a potential $3,000 fine for allegedly violating the same law.

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About the Author:

Mark Lehman became a News 6 reporter in July 2014, but he's been a Central Florida journalist and part of the News 6 team for much longer. While most people are fast asleep in their bed, Mark starts his day overnight by searching for news on the streets of Central Florida.

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