North Carolina
Hostile
Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe:
North Carolina has enacted a twelve-week abortion ban, including additional burdensome restrictions, which took effect July 1, 2023. Although the current governor is supportive of abortion rights, the legislature is hostile to abortion.
Restrictions
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, North Carolina enacted a twelve-week abortion ban, which took effect July 1, 2023.[1]S.B. 20, 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023), codified at N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.81B(2). The state’s twenty-week gestational ban is currently in effect.[2]N.C. GEN. STAT. § 14-45.1(a), invalidated by Bryant v. Woodall, 363 F. Supp. 3d 611 (M.D.N.C. 2019), aff’d, 1 F.4th 280 (4th Cir. June 23, 2021), injunction lifted in Bryant v. Woodall, No. … Continue reading North Carolina prohibits D&X procedures and abortions sought because of sex, race, and Down syndrome.[3] Id. Pregnant people who seek abortion care must undergo a mandatory seventy-two-hour waiting period and in-person biased counseling.[4]Id. § 90-21.82; id. § 90-21.85 (ultrasound requirement invalidated by Stuart v. Camnitz, 774 F.3d 238 (4th Cir. 2014), cert denied, 135 S. Ct. 2838 (June 15, 2015)); S.B. 20, 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. … Continue reading North Carolina also limits public funding for abortion,[5]N.C. GEN. STAT. § 143C-6-5.5; 10A N.C. ADMIN. CODE 25P.0405. North Carolina law generally requires that a parent, legal guardian,[6]N.C. GEN. STAT. § 90-21.7 (a). or judge[7]Id. § 90-21.7 (b); id. § 90-21.8. consent to a minor’s abortion.
North Carolina’s targeted regulation of abortion providers (TRAP) laws include requirements related to facilities[8]Id. §§ 14-45.1(a1), (c); 10A N.C. ADMIN. CODE 14E.0201–08; S.B. 20, 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023), codified at N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.81B(2). and reporting.[9]N.C. Gen. Stat §§ 14-45.1(a1), (c). Beginning October 1, 2023, abortion care provided under an exception to the twelve-week ban must be provided in a hospital,[10]Id. See Planned Parenthood South Atlantic v. Stein et. al., 1:23-CV-480. however, this requirement is blocked, subject to a preliminary injunction.[11]Planned Parenthood S. Atl. v. Stein et al., 1:23-CV-480 (D. N.C. Sep. 30, 2023) (order granting a preliminary injunction). North Carolina law restricts the provision of abortion care to licensed physicians,[12]N.C. GEN. STAT. §§ 14-45.1(a), (g). prohibits the mailing of medication abortion,[13]S.B. 20, 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023) to be codified at N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.81B(2). and requires providers to administer medication abortion in-person.[14]N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.82. The state requires a follow-up visit within 14 days after medication abortion. [15]S.B. 20, 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023), codified at N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.81B(2). Providers who violate North Carolina’s abortion restrictions may face criminal and civil penalties. [16]See, e.g., N.C. GEN. STAT. §§ 14-44, 14-44.1, 14-45. The state funds anti-abortion centers, providing them with millions of dollars a year.[17]H.B. 259 § 9H.11(a), 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023).
State Protections
North Carolina law does not include express constitutional or statutory protections for abortion but protects clinic access by prohibiting obstruction.[18]N.C. GEN. STAT. § 14-277.4. On July 6, 2022, the governor of North Carolina issued an executive order that prohibits the governor’s office and cabinet agencies from providing assistance or cooperation with out-of-state investigations and legal actions (including extradition) that arise from the provision of reproductive health care that is legal in North Carolina.[19]N.C. Exec. Order, No. 263 (Jul. 6, 2022). Cabinet employees who are pregnant may not be required to travel to states that have limited reproductive health care services.[20]Id. On January 16, 2025, the new governor of North Carolina issued an executive order that includes these protections as well as direction to the North Carolina Department of Health to ensure access to medication abortion and contraception.[21]N.C. Exec. Order, No. 8 (Jan. 16, 2025) https://governor.nc.gov/executive-order-no-8-reproductive-rights.
Post-Roe Prohibitions
North Carolina has a pre-Roe ban, which is enjoined to the extent that it prevents abortion prior to viability.[22]N.C. GEN. STAT. § 14-44; see Bryant, 363 F. Supp. 3d at 615.
Conclusion
Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe, North Carolina has enacted a twelve-week abortion ban, including additional burdensome restrictions, which took effect on July 1, 2023. Although the current governor is supportive of abortion rights, the current legislature is hostile to abortion.
References
↑1 | S.B. 20, 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023), codified at N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.81B(2). |
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↑2 | N.C. GEN. STAT. § 14-45.1(a), invalidated by Bryant v. Woodall, 363 F. Supp. 3d 611 (M.D.N.C. 2019), aff’d, 1 F.4th 280 (4th Cir. June 23, 2021), injunction lifted in Bryant v. Woodall, No. 1:16CV1368 (M.D.N.C Aug. 17, 2022). |
↑3 | Id. |
↑4 | Id. § 90-21.82; id. § 90-21.85 (ultrasound requirement invalidated by Stuart v. Camnitz, 774 F.3d 238 (4th Cir. 2014), cert denied, 135 S. Ct. 2838 (June 15, 2015)); S.B. 20, 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023) to be codified at N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.81B(2). |
↑5 | N.C. GEN. STAT. § 143C-6-5.5; 10A N.C. ADMIN. CODE 25P.0405. |
↑6 | N.C. GEN. STAT. § 90-21.7 (a). |
↑7 | Id. § 90-21.7 (b); id. § 90-21.8. |
↑8 | Id. §§ 14-45.1(a1), (c); 10A N.C. ADMIN. CODE 14E.0201–08; S.B. 20, 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023), codified at N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.81B(2). |
↑9 | N.C. Gen. Stat §§ 14-45.1(a1), (c). |
↑10 | Id. See Planned Parenthood South Atlantic v. Stein et. al., 1:23-CV-480. |
↑11 | Planned Parenthood S. Atl. v. Stein et al., 1:23-CV-480 (D. N.C. Sep. 30, 2023) (order granting a preliminary injunction). |
↑12 | N.C. GEN. STAT. §§ 14-45.1(a), (g). |
↑13 | S.B. 20, 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023) to be codified at N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.81B(2). |
↑14 | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.82. |
↑15 | S.B. 20, 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023), codified at N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.81B(2). |
↑16 | See, e.g., N.C. GEN. STAT. §§ 14-44, 14-44.1, 14-45. |
↑17 | H.B. 259 § 9H.11(a), 2023 Leg., Reg. Sess. (N.C. 2023). |
↑18 | N.C. GEN. STAT. § 14-277.4. |
↑19 | N.C. Exec. Order, No. 263 (Jul. 6, 2022). |
↑20 | Id. |
↑21 | N.C. Exec. Order, No. 8 (Jan. 16, 2025) https://governor.nc.gov/executive-order-no-8-reproductive-rights. |
↑22 | N.C. GEN. STAT. § 14-44; see Bryant, 363 F. Supp. 3d at 615. |