First it was gun control and now abortion — North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper can’t catch a break. Republicans in the legislature overrode yet another Cooper veto, this time ensuring that a pro-life measure became law.
The Tar Heel state previously allowed taking the life of an unborn child well into the second trimester. The procedure is now banned after 12 weeks, though there are exceptions built in.
Abortions are still permitted up through 20 weeks in cases of violent attack or incest. They are also allowed up to 24 weeks if the unborn child has a “life-limiting anomaly.”
The expansive law goes further, protecting babies that survive abortion attempts. It also outlaws selective abortions based on gender, race, or Down syndrome and bars women from being rushed or pressured into the fatal procedures.
Breaking: North Carolina Republicans override the veto of governor Roy Cooper on banning abortions after 12 weeks. The democrats only needed one Republican to vote with them to continue abortions after week 12, but couldn’t find it. This wouldn’t have been possible without… pic.twitter.com/nQyr2qlkil
— 🇺🇸Travis🇺🇸 (@Travis_in_Flint) May 17, 2023
Doctors must be present when abortion medication is given and a consultation with a physician is required 72 hours in advance.
It even addressed a common though empty liberal complaint by allocating $160 million for support of families, children, and maternal health concerns. Child care advocates were rewarded with $75 million of that total.
It funds both foster care and paid parental leave.
Cooper, however, is not pleased. In vetoing Senate Bill 20 Saturday, he said it would lead to “desperation and death.”
The Biden White House also weighed in, claiming that the North Carolina law would “harm patients and threaten doctors for providing essential care.” The administration reasserted its demand for Congress to enact new laws permitting abortion nationwide.
However, Republicans called the bill “common-sense legislation” that resulted from a compromise. The state’s new abortion law is assuredly less restrictive than other bans enacted since the demise of Roe v. Wade.
The GOP, which previously celebrated a major gun rights victory by overriding another Cooper veto, enjoyed the huge legislative victory. State Senator Vickie Sawyer (R) tweeted that the successful override would return “respect for the sanctity [of] human life.”
Former Democratic representative Tricia Cotham switched parties just last month and gave Republicans the supermajority in the North Carolina legislature. She lauded the new law as reaching “a reasonable balance.”
