By Dave Andrusko
Barbara Holt, President, North Carolina Right to Life
Just as we were about to post National Right to Life News Today for Tuesday, word arrived that by a single vote, the North Carolina House of Representatives had overridden Governor Beverly Perdue’s June 27th veto of the Woman’s Right to Know Act (H854). A three-fifths vote was required—and it was secured 72-47. The Senate is expected to take up their veto override soon.
Barbara Holt, President of North Carolina Right to Life, explained that this historic vote puts North Carolina one step closer to being the 26th state to have a Woman’s Right to Know law consistent with the findings in the U. S. Supreme Court decision of 1992, Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
“This vote was a bipartisan vote to ensure that mothers receive the factual, non judgmental and complete information they need to make informed abortion decision affecting their unborn children,” Holt said.”Many unborn children’s lives will be saved and their mothers will be spared much heartache when the legislature completes its work of overriding the Governor’s veto.”
Holt went on to point out that the House vote was in line with the sentiment in North Carolina. The Civitas Institute recently reported the results of a poll about the bill, showing that 56% of the voters of the state support the bill while only 36% oppose it.
H854 provides that a booklet containing scientifically accurate information about risks, alternatives, and information on the development of the unborn child, compiled by the Department of Health and Human Services, be offered to the mother at least 24 hours prior to an abortion so that she might have the opportunity to read and understand the information. The informed consent bill also provides that an ultrasound image of the unborn child be displayed at least four hours prior to an abortion so that the mother might view it.
“Mothers and their unborn children are the victors today because this law would protect a mother’s right to receive vital information prior to making a life or death decision about her unborn child,” said Mary Spaulding Balch, director of state legislation for the National Right to Life Committee. “With final passage of this law, no longer will mothers in North Carolina be left to the one-sided sales-promoting information provided by an industry that is in the business of killing unborn children.”
Balch added. “The North Carolina House has rightly responded that women deserve all the facts about an invasive surgical procedure that could greatly impact their physical and emotional well-being.
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