N.C. Lawmakers Subvert Democratic Process, Announce Sweeping Ban and Restrictions on Abortion Without Public Notice or Input

RALEIGH — Tonight, North Carolina legislators announced a sweeping bill that will ban abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy in addition to other restrictions that will severely limit abortion care in the state. Legislative leadership plan to push Senate Bill 20 directly to the House and Senate floors via a conference committee report, a deliberate procedural move that will bypass the standard committee process and any opportunity for testimony from medical experts or public input. Legislators have not yet made the text of Senate Bill 20 available to the public, and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic is still evaluating how the bill will affect abortion care in the state.

Medical experts agree that at 12 weeks of pregnancy, a fetus is nowhere near viable. A fetus is considered viable if it has reached a stage of development where it is able to live outside of the womb, which is generally around 24 weeks of pregnancy. North Carolina already bans abortion before viability, after 20 weeks of pregnancy. There are several restrictions on abortion care, including a law that forces patients to delay their abortion for at least 72 hours.

“North Carolina lawmakers are hellbent on silencing our voices and denying our right to be heard in the people’s house, all in the name of stripping us of our fundamental rights and banning essential health care,” said Jillian Riley, Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. “Lawmakers have ignored their own deadlines, flagrantly disregarded the entire committee process, and eliminated any chance for the public to speak against this sweeping ban because they know what they’re doing is wrong and deeply unpopular. Any ban on abortion, regardless of when in pregnancy, amounts to politicians taking control of a person’s body. If legislators truly want to support working parents, combat our maternal mortality crisis, and increase access to contraception, they must do so without passing a dangerous abortion ban.”

“There is mounting evidence across the country that abortion bans lead to substandard medical care, illness, and death, no matter any so-called exceptions written into the bill,” said Dr. Katherine Farris, Chief Medical Officer for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. “In states that have banned abortion, maternal mortality rates are skyrocketing and hospitals are turning patients away when they need this life-saving care. The bottom line is that the government should never force a person to carry a pregnancy or give birth against their will. A person’s health, not politicians, should guide important medical decisions at all stages of pregnancy.”

According to new data from the Association of American Medical Colleges, states that have enacted abortion bans this year experienced a 10.5 percent decrease in OBGYN resident applications.

The harmful consequences of abortion bans extend beyond abortion care. Patients in states where abortion is banned are reportedly receiving substandard care for miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and even cancer treatment as providers are forced to seek legal advice before providing care and restrictive laws create uncertainty in the health care system.

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