Today the North Dakota state Senate approved two bills that together would form the strictest abortion ban in the nation. Now they go to North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple (R) for his signature.
The state Senate voted to approve a measure that would ban abortion when a heartbeat is detected. With a transvaginal ultrasound, a heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks. The state Senate passed another bill that prohibits abortion even when a fetal abnormality is detected, including severe genetic defects. Both of these measures have already been approved by the state House.
It is uncertain if Governor Dalrymple, who has been against abortion in the past, will sign the bills into law.
Media Resources: Associated Press 3/15/2013; Huffington Post 3/15/2013; North Dakota Legislative Branch 3/15/2013
State Capitol of North Dakota, Bismarck from Shutterstock
2 comments
Bruce Cranor says:
Mar 15, 2013
I think all that empty space & cold weather in North Dakota has made those people lose their f..king minds!!
Sheila Parks, Ed.D. says:
Mar 19, 2013
I was just re-watching “The Makers” and saw again what was going on in ND from the beginning. I defended the abortion clinics with my body in Brookline and Boston for a very long time and it was more than horrific. But ND was worse. Is there a huge hard-right wing there? What is the history? What hard-right-wing-zealots-bible thumpers come from ND?