NC lawmakers pass 12-week abortion ban; governor vows veto

By GARY D. ROBERTSON and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Republican-controlled North Carolina legislature has approved and sent to the governor a ban on nearly all abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy in response to last year’s overturning of Roe v. Wade at the U.S. Supreme Court. The measure passed by the Senate on Thursday lowers the time restriction from the current 20 weeks. The House passed the bill Wednesday in a similar party-line vote. Abortion-rights supporter Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has said he’ll veto the bill, but the GOP has enough voting power to override it. The measure has far-reaching consequences. Before its passage, women from nearby states with restrictive laws had traveled to North Carolina for abortions in later stages of pregnancy.