North Carolina lawmakers have been going back and forth over what is the best course of action for new abortion restrictions within the Tar Heel State. Specifically because it’s not so easy to kill killing babies as a legal act as one may have thought. Within the Supreme Court, there was a guided decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, as abortion laws had been chosen last summer to be handled by the individual United States. Very Pontius Pilate of them, as it would therefore ask many GOP-controlled states in order to new restrictions.
North Carolina Republicans have the most difficult job ahead of them.
The political landscape is radically different in North Carolina, when compared to the other Southern states.
Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, is in occupation of the executive mansion and has the opportunity to overturn abortion bills that don’t sit well with him. Specifically, he has done this because abortion decisions are more often than not better off to stay between patients and their medical providers. Of course there are Legislators who are allowed to override the governor’s vetoes, should they receive overwhelming support from a supermajority of lawmakers, while the GOP has a veto-proof majority, in the footsteps of Representative Tricia Cotham to swap parties and join the Republican side of things.
Republicans may have a say on paper, but as it turns out, there’s more complications to be had in reality.
Cotham isn’t the steadiest person to believe in, for all her Republican bravado. This is specifically because of her own experiences handling reproductive rights. Cotham recalled her own experience terminating a pregnancy in 2015 as she spoke against a proposed waiting period for abortions. Early on in 2023, she had a bill filed that could have codified abortion protections from ROe v. Wade in state law.
The GOP in North Carolina isn’t allowed to propose rules against abortion that would stir away Republicans who themselves are more of a light red or pink than a total red state representative.
Additionally, there is the history that North Carolina already has, as they have had other laws adopted and repealed, while there have been choices made by the legislators, it hasn’t stopped North Carolina from being able to recruit big corporations.
As far as North Carolina is concerned, abortions through the first 20 weeks of pregnancy are lawful. But once the 20 weeks have passed, the procedure may only be allowed whenever there’s a medical emergency. Abortions are only able to be performed by a physician in a hospital as it’s licensed by the state’s Department of Health and Human Services.
