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A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 17 May 2023
Abortion rights face tectonic shift in the South
Continued from Front
Abortion is banned or se-
verely restricted in much
of the South and is banned
throughout pregnancy
now in Alabama, Arkansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Missis-
sippi, Oklahoma, Tennes-
see, Texas and West Virgin-
ia. In Georgia, it’s allowed
only in the first six weeks of
pregnancy.
The Carolinas, Florida and
Virginia are now the main
destinations in the region
for those seeking legal South Carolina Rep. Beth Bernstein, D-Columbia, speaks at
abortion. Florida has a ban a Statehouse lobby rally before the House begins debating
that kicks in 15 weeks into
pregnancy. Under a recent Carolina.
law, that would tighten to
six weeks – before women
often know they’re preg- often travel to Illinois, Kan- Nationally, bans on abor- both chambers say they’re trasound detects cardiac
nant – pending a court rul- sas, New Mexico or Colo- tion throughout pregnancy
ing. Further west, women rado.
In North Carolina, Cooper banning abortions once
vetoed the bill being de- cardiac activity is detect-
bated Tuesday over the ed.
weekend after spending That decision left abortion
last week traveling around legal through 22 weeks
the state trying to persuade of pregnancy. A sharp in-
one or more Republicans crease in abortions since
to uphold his veto. Among then has rankled Repub-
them is Rep. Tricia Cotham, licans. Provisional state
whose recent switch from health department data
the Democratic Party to show South Carolina re-
the GOP gave House Re- ported nearly 1,000 abor-
publicans the one addi- tions in each of the first
tional vote they needed three months this year, af-
for veto-proof majorities in ter totaling just over 200 in
both chambers. the one full month the pre-
Both the North Carolina vious ban was in effect.
House and Senate passed The House is now weigh-
an abortion bill on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in Columbia, South the bill along party lines this ing a Senate bill similar to
month, signaling that an the one they denied last
Associated Press override could be success- year. The measure would
ful. While GOP leaders in ban abortion when an ul-
confident they have the activity, around six weeks.
are in effect in 14 states. votes, some uncertainty South Carolina House
lingers in the House, where Speaker Murrell Smith has
another key Republican said the chamber will not
called out by Cooper was adjourn until the measure
absent for the original vote gets approval.
and has declined to com- Democrats began slow-
ment on the bill. ing the process Tuesday
Republicans have pitched by speaking for all three al-
the measure as a middle- lotted minutes on each of
ground change to state their hundreds of amend-
abortion law, which cur- ments and forcing other
rently bans nearly all abor- procedural votes.
tions after 20 weeks of Lawmakers in Nebraska
pregnancy, without excep- were scheduled to take up
tions for rape or incest. debate on a proposal that
Cooper has said that the would ban abortion at 12
12-week ban would greatly weeks of pregnancy. The
erode reproductive rights proposal comes after law-
for North Carolinians, and makers rejected a bill last
others who have become month that would have
dependent on the state banned abortion after car-
for abortions later in preg- diac activity is detected.
nancy. This latest proposal is
In South Carolina, the im- tacked onto a bill that
passe dates back to a spe- would ban gender-affirm-
cial session last fall when ing care for transgender
House lawmakers demand- minors. Opponents have
ing a near-total ban did said they plan to filibuster
not meet to negotiate with for the entire two hours of
their Senate counterparts scheduled debate Tuesday
pushing for a ban around evening. Conservatives in
six weeks. Nebraska’s unique single-
The stalemate persisted chamber, officially nonpar-
even after the state Su- tisan Legislature will need
preme Court in January 33 out of 49 votes for these
struck down a previous law proposals to advance.q