North Dakota Governor Signs Near-Total Abortion Ban
North Dakota became the latest state on Monday to enact a near-total ban on abortion, just one month after the State Supreme Court temporarily blocked a similar ban from taking effect.
Under the new law, an abortion in the case of rape or incest would be permissible only in the first six weeks of pregnancy, a time when most women have not yet realized they are pregnant. Abortion is permitted without gestational limits if terminating a pregnancy can “prevent the death or a serious health risk” of the mother.
Gov. Doug Burgum, a Republican, signed the bill into law on Monday.
The law, Mr. Burgum said, “reaffirms North Dakota as a pro-life state.” The governor added that it also “clarifies and refines” the existing state ban that has been blocked by courts.
The new law, which takes immediate effect, is a dramatic shift for the state, where abortions had been legal up until 22 weeks of pregnancy.
Source: The New York Times
