Rep. Mike Hill's announcement that he would file an abortion ban bill in the Florida Legislature next year similar to the one that passed this month in Alabama drew sharp criticism from state Democrats.

Hill told a group in Pensacola on Thursday that God told him to sponsor a bill next year to ban nearly all abortions.

During the 2019 session, Hill sponsored a bill that have would banned abortions if a fetal heartbeat could be detected, but the bill had exceptions for rape, incest and if the mother's life was in danger. Hill's fetal heartbeat bill died in committee without getting a hearing.

"As plain as day, God spoke to me," Hill told the Women for Responsible Legislation on Thursday. "He said that wasn't my bill, talking about the heartbeat detection bill that I filed. He said that wasn't my bill. I knew immediately what he was talking about. He said, you remove those exceptions and you file it again. And I said yes Lord, I will. It's coming back. It's coming back. We are going to file that bill without any exceptions just like what we saw passed in Alabama."

Earlier this month, the Alabama Legislature passed a bill that was signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey banning nearly all abortions, with the only exception being if a woman's health is in danger.

Planned Parenthood Southeast, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Alabama filed a lawsuit Friday against the law, law saying it was unconstitutional and a threat to women's' health.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only Democrat to win statewide office in 2018, said she would "fight like hell" to kill Hill's bill.

Former Tallahassee mayor and 2018 Democratic nominee for governor Andrew Gillum also tweeted he would fight Hill every step of the way.

Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, predicted thousands would show up to protest if Hill's proposal got a hearing.

Jim Little can be reached at jwlittle@pnj.com and 850-208-9827.