ND Gov. signs toughest abortion law in the US

[Tender Branson]

FARGO, N.D. — Gov. Jack Dalrymple of North Dakota signed the nation’s toughest abortion restrictions into law on Tuesday, approving three bills including one that would outlaw abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

bortion-rights activists quickly blasted the signings, saying the measures would effectively ban abortion in the state and they have vowed to challenge the measures in court.

Perhaps the most controversial bill outlaws abortion once a fetal heartbeat is “detectable,” which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

“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,” Mr. Dalrymple, a Republican, said in a statement.

Mr. Dalrymple also affirmed measures to require doctors performing abortions to get admitting privileges at a local hospital and to outlaw abortions for gender or genetic abnormalities.

Mr. Dalyrmple acted on the measures less than 24 hours after they were advanced to his desk by the Republican-controlled Legislature in the capital, Bismarck.

The stakes place North Dakota, for the moment at least, at the center of sharp efforts in several Republican-controlled states stretching from here to Mississippi to curb abortion rights. Just three weeks ago, Arkansas lawmakers adopted the country’s most stringent abortion limits, banning the procedure at 12 weeks of pregnancy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/27/us/north-dakota-governor-signs-strict-abortion-limits.html

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I doubt it'll be upheld, but it's a good law.

[DC Al Fine]

I doubt it'll be upheld, but it's a good law.

[Supersonic]

I doubt it'll be upheld, but it's a good law.

[TDAS04]

Thank God for North Dakota!

It always makes me feel better about South Dakota.

[Lief 🗽]

Disgusting.

[minionofmidas]

Thank God for North Dakota!

It always makes me feel better about South Dakota.

You already got Nebraska for that, having North Dakota as well is just greedy.

[morgieb]

Disgusting.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Disgusting.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

This is a really stupid idea.

[Old Man Svensson]

Disgusting.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Congratulations, North Dakota. This means more abortions in Montana, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

For all those saying it will go to the courts, that's the point. They want a challenge and hope that the right-wing court will strike down Roe.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

"Small government."

[badgate]

I guess it's safe to say ND is now one of the states that makes it easier to buy a weapon whose only purpose is murder than it is to receive a legal medical procedure to end an unplanned pregnancy. Well done, ND.



I'd be fine with letting these yahoos secede.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Disgusting.

[DC Al Fine]

I guess it's safe to say ND is now one of the states that makes it easier to buy a weapon whose only purpose is murder than it is to receive a legal medical procedure to end an unplanned pregnancy. Well done, ND.

Given ND's massive amount of shale gas, they'd have a pretty easy time making a go of it.

[BluegrassBlueVote]

Horrible. Just horrible.

[DINGO Joe]

What will all the oil field hookers do now?  Go to Montana?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Congratulations, North Dakota. This means more abortions in Montana, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

Actually there's only clinic in the state that performs abortions and it's in Fargo. There isn't anywhere in Montana or South Dakota where you can get an abortion that's reasonably close so that's kind of moot. And the Fargo clinic can just move across the border to Moorhead if needed...rendering the whole thing kind of pointless. Might I add there are no places that perform abortions in western Minnesota either, so if it wasn't for the Fargo clinic someone from my hometown seeking one would have to travel all the way to here in Minneapolis, a 7-hour drive. And it's probably equal from anywhere in the state to Sioux Falls, Rapid City or Billings...but that's the status quo already and this law doesn't change it much.

FWIW though despite all that the law is actually clever politics since it only puts penalties on the doctors performing it, and there are no penalties for the woman seeking one, so it sidesteps a tricky issue and opponents can't accuse it of turning rape victims into criminals or anything like that.

[muon2]

Perhaps the most controversial bill outlaws abortion once a fetal heartbeat is “detectable,” which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

“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,” Mr. Dalrymple, a Republican, said in a statement.

For all those saying it will go to the courts, that's the point. They want a challenge and hope that the right-wing court will strike down Roe.

Though the central holding of Roe was confirmed in Casey v Planned Parenthood, the court overturned Roe's strict guidelines and provided the state the latitude to create laws when the state's interests were at stake. This led to laws like parental notification and late-term abortion bans. As medical science has advanced over the last two decades it isn't unreasonable to ask when is there sufficient evidence of life for the state to have an interest. Almost a decade has passed since the Schiavo case(s) set a limit for the state to intervene at the end of life. I've been expecting some state to flesh out a similar limit based on brain or heart activity at the beginning as well.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Perhaps the most controversial bill outlaws abortion once a fetal heartbeat is “detectable,” which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

“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,” Mr. Dalrymple, a Republican, said in a statement.

For all those saying it will go to the courts, that's the point. They want a challenge and hope that the right-wing court will strike down Roe.

Though the central holding of Roe was confirmed in Casey v Planned Parenthood, the court overturned Roe's strict guidelines and provided the state the latitude to create laws when the state's interests were at stake. This led to laws like parental notification and late-term abortion bans. As medical science has advanced over the last two decades it isn't unreasonable to ask when is there sufficient evidence of life for the state to have an interest. Almost a decade has passed since the Schiavo case(s) set a limit for the state to intervene at the end of life. I've been expecting some state to flesh out a similar limit based on brain or heart activity at the beginning as well.

True, Roe technically hasn't been the law of the land over 20 years. Gonzales v. Carhart further weakened it.

[politicus]

Generally this just underlines the fact, that having something as important as the legality of abortions decided by the courts is problematic. Now politicians that are against free abortions have to come up with stuff like this instead of fighting for a national ban, which would be the normal political scenario. I dont really blame the ND politicians, even if this is a form of circumventing the law, they are just using the political tools available to them.

[Ebowed]

This sounds great!  As a pro-lifer myself, I look forward to the fine people of North Dakota looking at reducing our dependence on oil as an energy source, letting gay couples adopt unwanted children, and providing universal health care to its residents.  

(To its credit, they lack capital punishment.)

[Sopranos Republican]

I doubt it'll be upheld, but it's a good law.