Source: News & Observer
In their latest bill to codify Roe v. Wade abortion protections, North Carolina Democrats are united around protecting the freedom to access reproductive health care.
Every Democrat has signed onto a pair of bills, filed in the House and Senate, as the Codify Roe and Casey Protections Act, which would protect access to abortion care in North Carolina “by enshrining the protections of the U.S. Supreme Court cases, Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, into state law,” according to a statement from Rep. John Autry.
“House Democrats are united on this critical issue for the women of North Carolina,” stated House Democratic Leader Robert Reives in a press release. “We understand that important decisions about health care should happen in a doctor’s office, not a legislator’s office. This legislation would enshrine the protections that women have had for half a century into North Carolina law.”
The move to codify abortion access comes as state Republicans have expressed pushing forth bills to restrict reproductive health care. In a statement released after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, House Speaker Tim Moore stated that passing anti-abortion restrictions would be a “top priority” for the 2023 session.
Last year, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger vocalized his support for a ban around 13 weeks of pregnancy, while House Speaker Tim Moore expressed support for the controversial “heartbeat bill.”
With North Carolina remaining the last safeguard for abortion access for millions across the southeast of the U.S., state Democrats are showing they are unified around defending these protections and upholding the governor’s veto against such restrictions.
“Democratic lawmakers across our state know how critical it is to protect your right to privacy and choice,” stated Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue. “We stand united in protecting reproductive health care — a right that the majority of North Carolinians support.”
