Governor Jack Dalrymple of North Dakota, a Republican, (duh!) signed three bills into law that would ban almost all abortions. Here are the three bills, all of which were passed by the Republican-controlled (duh!) legislature:
1. A requirement that doctors who perform abortions get admitting privileges at a local hospital. This could have the effect of closing the Red River Women’s Clinic in Fargo, the state’s only abortion provider.
2. An unprecedented ban against abortion in the case of genetic defects.
3. A ban on abortion once a fetal heartbeat is “detectable,” which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy when a transvaginal ultrasound is used.
The last bill, is unlikely to stand because it violate Roe v. Wade’s finding that abortions are allowed until the fetus was viable outside the womb, usually around 24 weeks. Even Dalrymple concedes the legal frailty of the bill, saying,
“Although the likelihood of this measure surviving a court challenge remains in question, this bill is nevertheless a legitimate attempt by a state legislature to discover the boundaries of Roe v. Wade.”
At least he’s honest about what he’s trying to do: subvert Roe v. Wade.
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