RALEIGH, N.C. - Earlier today, the N.C. House Judiciary 1 Committee advanced HB 453, legislation that would ban abortions based on the reason behind the person’s decision. The House of Representatives could vote on the bill as soon as Thursday.
“These abortion restrictions would threaten an individual’s right to make their own reproductive decisions,” said Liz Barber, policy analyst for the ACLU of North Carolina. “This bill is not about fighting discrimination. It’s yet another effort to chip away at abortion access, and lawmakers should reject it.”
HB 453 would prevent someone from obtaining an abortion based on the supposed reason behind their decision if that reason is based on the presumed race of the fetus or a fetal diagnosis of Down syndrome. The bill would also compromise the doctor-patient relationship by making the doctor question their patient regarding the reasons behind their decision and deny care depending on their answers.
“If lawmakers genuinely want to address race equity in regard to pregnancy and childbirth, they would direct their efforts to pass the North Carolina Momnibus Act (SB 632/HB 507) to address the disparate birth outcomes for Black and Brown people in North Carolina,” said Barber. “Additionally, lawmakers could allocate resources to support people with Down Syndrome and their families. Decisions about whether and when to continue a pregnancy or raise a child are best made by individuals and families, in consultation with a healthcare provider. Government intrusion does not belong in the doctor’s office.”
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