TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis late Thursday night signed Florida’s six-week abortion ban into law just hours after the GOP-led Legislature approved it.

The legislation will upend Florida’s status as an abortion haven in the south, cutting off access for thousands who would otherwise travel from neighboring states each year for the procedure.

DeSantis announced the signing on Facebook and Twitter at around 11 p.m. A photo accompanying the Facebook and Twitter posts shows the Republican governor signing the legislation surrounded by more than two dozen people.

"Signed the Heartbeat Protection Act, which expands pro-life protections and devotes resources to help young mothers and families," DeSantis wrote on social media.

DeSantis is preparing for a likely presidential bid and has been steadfast in his support for limiting abortion.

The Florida House approved the bill, S.B. 300, on a 70-40 vote on Thursday. The state Senate approved it last week.

The six-week ban will help DeSantis show conservative voters in a primary contest that he’s solidly anti-abortion, but it also carries big risks in a general election. Republicans overall underperformed during the 2022 midterm elections, in part because Democrats andswing voters turned out in response to the high court’s abortion ruling.

Florida now joins at least 12 other states — including Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky and Louisiana — that have approved bans on abortions after six weeks, a point at which many people don’t yet know they’re pregnant. The Florida legislation provides exceptions for victims of rape, incest and human trafficking up to 15 weeks as long as they provide proof such as a police report. At least 13 other states have enacted near-total bans on the procedure.