By M.H. Cavanaugh
Christian Action League
April 2, 2015
RALEIGH – Legislation has been filed in both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly that would change certain abortion laws in the state. The legislation comes on top of other measures that have passed since 2011 that work to protect the safety and health of women, as well as save unborn lives.
Statistics gathered from the State Center for Health Statistics and the Office of Budget and State Management show that total abortions in North Carolina from 2010 to 2013 are considerably down by more than 8,000.
On the House side, HB 465 – Clarify & Modify Certain Abortion Laws, sponsored by Reps. Jacqueline Schaeffer, Pat McElraft, Rena Turner, and Susan Martin, seeks to continue that trend. HB 465 would do the following:
- Provide competent care for women by having an obstetrician or a gynecologist perform abortions.
- Update information to the State Center for Health Statistics, maintaining confidentiality of records and improving the usefulness of the data.
- Discover whether statutory rationale was provided for post-twenty week abortions.
- Protect health care providers who object to abortion on moral, ethical, or religious grounds from being required to perform or participate.
- Give women more time to consider alternatives to abortion by allowing a 72 hour waiting period before having an abortion, instead of 24 hours, except in a medical emergency.
- Prohibit state institutions, hospitals and employees from using any funds or state facilities for the performance of abortions outside of the exceptions of rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s life.
On the Senate side, SB 604 – Women and Children’s Protection Act of 2015, sponsored by Sens. Shirley Randleman, Joyce Krawiec, and Warren Daniels would require these changes:
- Implementation of mandatory annual inspections of abortion facilities.
- Anyone working in an abortion clinic must be at least 18 years of age.
- Abortion facilities must have written transfer agreements with a hospital in case of emergencies.
- Abortionists must document the gestational age of the unborn child.
- Abortionists must document the reasons given for performing any late-term (after the 20th week) abortions – reasons that justify why continuing the pregnancy threatens the woman’s life or seriously impairs her health.
“I think these are just common sense requirements for the practice of abortion,” said Dr. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “Planned Parenthood, as well as other pro-choice groups will argue these measures do nothing to protect women or children, but just put more between a woman and her doctor. But we see these same or similar laws in other states and the polling data is considerably more pro-life these days.”
“Having an abortion is a life-altering decision for many mothers, leaving them scarred emotionally for life, while for the unborn child it means certain death. No, I don’t think, nor do I believe most North Carolinians think that tightening abortion restrictions is not in the best interest of the mother and the child.” he added.
HB 465 has been referred to the House Committee on Health. If it receives a favorable report in that committee, it then goes to the Judiciary IV committee for consideration. The measure must pass both committees before being considered on the House floor.
SB 604 has been referred to the Senate Rules Committee.