Abortion roundup: NC governor to veto 12-week ban as state battles heat up across U.S.

Other bills signed by the governor strengthen laws that ensure taxpayer money is not used to pay for abortions and that children who are born after botched abortions must be saved. The legislative package also imposes stricter requirements on abortion clinics to provide documents related to medical and safety standards.

The legislative package also includes a bill that protects a medical worker’s right of conscience by banning employers from discriminating against a person who refuses to perform or assist with an abortion.

Another bill creates a $1,200 refundable child tax credit for children under the age of 6 and an adoption tax credit of up to $7,500. 

“As we stand firm for life, we must also ensure all Montana kids, from unborn babies to teenagers, have the opportunity to reach their full God-given potential,” Gianforte said. “Folks, this must be one of the next chapters of our pro-life, pro-child, pro-family agenda.”

In Nebraska, Republican state Sen. Ben Hansen introduced a legislative amendment that would ban abortions at 12 weeks.

The May 8 amendment comes less than two weeks after one Republican lawmaker, Sen. Merv Riepe, refused to vote in favor of a six-week ban. Riepe, instead, wanted to move the cutoff to 12 weeks. His refusal caused the unicameral Legislature to fall one vote shy of the 33 senators needed to end debate and bring the bill to a floor vote. 

Harrison’s amendment is intended to bring Riepe on board with the abortion restrictions so that the Legislature can approve restrictions before the end of the legislative session. 

The amendment was attached to legislation that would prohibit doctors from providing gender transition drugs and performing gender transition surgery on minors. 

In Maryland, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore signed a handful of pro-abortion bills.

One of the bills, signed on May 3, calls for a state referendum to enshrine a right to an abortion in the state’s constitution. 

The measure is strongly opposed by the Maryland Catholic Conference. 

(Story continues below)

“We believe that every person is created in the image and likeness of God and all life should be protected and respected from conception to natural death,” a statement read. “There is no need for a constitutional amendment; unfortunately, Maryland currently has one of the highest rates of abortion in the country and Maryland is already a destination in the abortion travel industry.”

The other bills establish more privacy protections for medical documents related to abortion, prohibit judges from forcing a person to provide testimony related to an illegal abortion in another state, and require higher-education institutions to develop reproductive health services plans. 

In Michigan, the House and Senate approved legislation that would amend the state’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to ban workplace discrimination against women who receive an abortion. 

The Democrat-backed measure would prevent employers from firing or taking any other action against a woman who receives an abortion. The bill was presented on May 9 to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is expected to sign it. 

It received opposition from the Michigan Catholic Conference. 

“This bill violates human dignity by attempting to equate elective abortion — which intentionally ends a child’s life — with giving birth to a child,” a statement read. “It also violates the deeply held beliefs of employers that provide benefits in accordance with their conscience and beliefs about the dignity of human life.”