Republicans in the North Carolina state legislature are set to move forward this week to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a bill banning abortion at 12 weeks. The move would severely restrict abortion access in the state – one of the last with access in the region since Roe v. Wade was overturned last year.
A Senate vote to override the veto has been scheduled to take place during Tuesday’s afternoon session. But whether Republicans have the necessary support to override the governor’s pen remains unclear.
Cooper vetoed Senate Bill 20 on Saturday, which sends it back to the General Assembly. Cooper warned the legislation would make women jump through hoops to receive care and could lead to clinics closing.
“Forward is the only way ahead, but I know one thing for certain, standing in the way of progress right now is this Republican supermajority legislature that only took 48 hours to turn the clock back 50 years on women’s health,” Cooper said at a veto rally in Raleigh on Saturday. “That’s exactly what this bill does.”
Hannah Schoenbaum / AP
Senate Bill 20 – named the Care for Women, Children and Families Act – bans abortion after 12 weeks, with limited exceptions. The state currently allows abortion through 20 weeks. It passed in the House 71 to 46 earlier this month and then the Senate 29 to 20 a day later.
But unlike previous efforts in the legislature to restrict abortion access – only recently did North Carolina Republicans obtain a supermajority in the state legislature – giving them the ability to override the Democratic governor’s veto.
It comes after State Representative Tricia Cotham, who represents the 112th district in Mecklenburg, announced unexpectedly in early April that she was switching parties to become a Republican. While Cotham ran as a Democrat on a platform to protect abortion rights – she voted with Republicans for the legislation.
With Cooper’s veto – the legislation is now headed back to the legislature, where Republicans need every single member present to override the veto.
First, the veto would have to be overridden in the Senate, where 24 hours notice is required before it goes to the floor. If passed on Tuesday, it would then head to the House where a vote can take place within minutes, according to state legislative aides.
With no room for error in the Republican caucuses, Democrats and abortion rights groups have been mounting a pressure campaign in the hopes that even one Republican legislator will vote against overriding the veto and leave it in place.
While the legislation bans abortion at 12 weeks, it also requires any abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy take place in a hospital. It also restricts medication abortion to 10 weeks – or 70 days and puts additional requirements in place such as visits to a clinic and counseling. There are additional license requirements for clinics that perform abortions.
While opponents have blasted the legislation and how it was fast-tracked through the legislative process – proponents have praised additional resources such as increased money for contraceptives, child care, paid leave for state employees, and other provisions folded into the bill.
