Spread of abortion restrictions in South puts pressure on Virginia

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI, SARAH RANKIN and DENISE LAVOIE
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — As more Southern states pass new restrictions on abortion, Virginia is poised to become an outlier in the region for its relatively permissive laws. That could set up Virginia as a destination for women seeking abortions and raise questions about providers’ capacity to meet demand. South Carolina is among the last bastions in the region for those seeking legal abortions, but that status could end soon. Access would be almost entirely banned after about six weeks of pregnancy under a bill expected to come up for a vote in the House Wednesday. And most abortions after 12 weeks will be banned in North Carolina after the state legislature successfully overrode the Democratic governor’s veto Tuesday.