The North Carolina House approved a Republican package of abortion restrictions that would tighten the state's ban on the procedure from after 20 weeks to after 12 weeks.
One Republican was absent for the vote. House Speaker Tim Moore said afterward that in his chamber"we absolutely do have the votes for an override."
. But they aren't as restrictive as those in other GOP-controlled Southern states like Tennessee and West Virginia. Republicans were cautious about going too far in a closely divided state ahead of the 2024 elections after losing some key races in suburban areas last year where abortion was a big issue, Catawba College political science professor Michael Bitzer said.
Republicans also proposed spending in the bill at least $160 million for programs to improve child care access and maternal health care, encourage families to take in foster children and provide contraceptives to low-income or uninsured patients. The measure also includes money to cover eight weeks of paid leave for state employees and teachers after giving birth, with four weeks for another new parent.
The legislative package was offered through a parliamentary procedure that doesn't allow lawmakers to offer amendments. That angered Democrats who called the process to consider such a controversial and complex measure anti-democratic. Democrats demanded just before Wednesday's vote that they be able to lodge formal protests, citing a provision in the state constitution addressing an act that a lawmaker"may think injurious to the public.
"Extreme anti-abortion politicians have created a monster by pushing new restrictions that aim to shut down abortion clinics," Planned Parenthood spokesperson Jillian Riley told lawmakers.
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