Washington
CNN
—
Republican Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota signed a near-total abortion ban invoice into legislation Monday.
Senate Invoice 2150, which handed within the state’s legislature final week, defines abortion as “the act of utilizing, promoting, or prescribing any instrument, drugs, drug, or every other substance, machine, or means with the intent to terminate the clinically diagnosable being pregnant of a lady.”
The legislation is among the most restrictive abortion bans within the US and solely permits exceptions for rape or incest inside the first six weeks of being pregnant.
Exceptions are permitted within the case that the process is “deemed essential primarily based on cheap medical judgment which was supposed to stop the demise or a severe well being threat to the pregnant feminine.”
Efforts to deal with an ectopic or molar being pregnant would even be permissible at any stage of being pregnant below the legislation.
Abortion rights activists have furiously objected to related bans, saying most ladies have no idea they’re pregnant at six weeks.
The invoice joins different GOP-led laws aimed toward proscribing abortion entry that has turn out to be legislation in a post-Roe v. Wade world. Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio and Texas have additionally handed six-week abortion bans, sparking authorized challenges.
North Dakota’s new legislation follows a authorized battle over a 2007 set off legislation that was blocked by a district choose final 12 months.
The state’s Supreme Court docket upheld that ruling in March.
The set off abortion ban was set to take impact final August and would have made it a felony to carry out an abortion within the state however it did enable exceptions in circumstances of rape or incest.
With the set off ban on pause, North Dakota legislation had allowed abortion up till 20 weeks or extra post-fertilization.
In a press release to CNN, Burgum stated SB 2150 “clarifies and refines present state legislation which was triggered into impact by the Dobbs determination and reaffirms North Dakota as a pro-life state.”
Physicians who violate the brand new legislation could possibly be charged with a felony. As well as, an abortion can’t be carried out till a lady is obtainable the chance to see an “lively ultrasound” no less than 24 hours earlier than the scheduled process.
Any doctor who fails to conform might face a misdemeanor cost.
Final week, Burgum signed a invoice banning gender-affirming care for many minors with the potential of a felony for well being care professionals who present it.
