Local news sources were reporting on April 20, 2023 that North Carolina Republican lawmakers were closing in on a “consensus position” to protect babies at 12 weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormalities and to protect the mother’s life.
According to WRAL News, “North Carolina Speaker of the House Tim Moore said Thursday that Republican lawmakers have reached a consensus position.”
This possible consensus could mean a bill, long anticipated, which would alter the State’s abortion laws bringing the gestational age down from 20 weeks to 12 weeks.
However, according to reports, Moore admits that there is no definitive timetable for the bill, which means that there may be no formal debate until May of this year.
In a recent turn of events, Democrat Trisha Cotham crossed the floor to join House Republicans saying that she was “deeply offended” at the state of politics in the Democratic Party. “The party that represents me and my principles and what is best for North Carolina is the Republican Party,” Cotham said in her press conference on April 5th.
Despite not knowing how Representative Cotham will vote on the life issues, both the House and the Senate hold veto-proof majorities — and according to House Speaker Moore, they are both “close to being on the same page” with regard to a 12-week abortion bill, though details are still to be ironed out.
On April 19th, another bill was introduced called the Second Chances Act, Bill 788. This bill gives the conditions of voluntary and informed consent for a woman who is considering an abortion. These include making available information about her rights, what kind of medical assistance she may be entitled to, that the father is liable to child care assistance, other alternatives to abortion, including adoption, and that she can change her mind without affecting her right to future care.
Also contained in the bill is information for women considering chemical abortion, giving them knowledge and access to an abortion pill reversal hotline should they change their minds after taking the first dose of the Mifepristone (RU-486) pill regime. The language reads:
That it may be possible to reverse the effects of a chemical abortion if the pregnant woman changes her mind, but time is of the essence. If a woman has taken mifepristone as part of a two-drug regimen to terminate her pregnancy, also known as "RU-486" or "Mifeprex," it may be possible to reverse its intended effect if the second pill or tablet has not been taken or administered. If the woman wishes to continue the pregnancy, she should immediately consult a physician for more information. Information regarding the reversal of a chemical abortion is also available by calling the Abortion Pill Reversal Hotline at 877-558-0333, or visiting https://www.abortionpillreversal.com/.
Dr. Bill Pincus, North Carolina Right to Life President noted, “Since recent court cases at the Federal District and Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals have shone a spotlight on the terrible harms to women and children from the abortion pill, the proposed Second Chances bill is very timely.” He noted that making this information mandatory for a woman’s informed consent is long overdue.
North Carolina Right to Life will be following both of these developments.
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1. NC Republican leader: 'Consensus' emerging to ban abortion after 12 weeks, with exceptions, https://www.wral.com/20821150/
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