photo credit: Grand Warszawski // Shutterstock
A judge has banned a North Carolina law banning women from having abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, unconstitutional. The law says women cannot have an abortion after 20 weeks unless it is a urgent medical emergency.
The state legislators have 60 days before the ruling takes affects to amend the restrictions they have or appeal the ruling to a higher court. The U.S. Supreme Court protects abortion under the constitution until the fetus has developed enough to live outside of the mother’s womb.
Some states have gone further with abortion. In Mississippi and Kentucky, most abortions are illegal once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can be as early as six weeks into pregnancy. A similar bill passed by the Georgia Senate last week and now goes back to the House to approve changes. It is backed by Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.
Written by Clarke Jones
Source: WNCT