Forty years after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade— which established a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion — the debate about access to abortions still rages in North Carolina.
With new conservative N.C. General Assembly members and a governor endorsed by an anti-abortion organization, state leaders could be more receptive to new abortion restrictions.
State law requires a 24-hour waiting period before receiving an abortion, and counseling services such as ultrasounds must be offered to the patient.
Barbara Holt, president of the anti-abortion group N.C. Right to Life, wants to see additional legislation that would ban abortions based on the sex of the fetus and prevent health insurance coverage of abortions under the Affordable Care Act.
“We know that abortions increase when you don’t have to pay out-of-pocket for them,” she said.
But abortion supporters like NARAL Pro-Choice N.C. are lobbying Gov. Pat McCrory to stick to his campaign promise to not support any additional abortion restrictions. The group created an online petition demanding McCrory not to support any new bills.
Other abortion supporters plan to appeal to legislators.
“We are worried, but as far as action goes, it’s just as important to hold one’s legislators in office accountable regardless of who is the governor,” said Sarah-Kathryn Bryan, co-chairwoman of UNC’s Feminist Students United.
The group participated in NARAL’s blog campaign to commemorate the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, which was Tuesday.
