April 25, 2024
North Carolina’s pro-life laws survived several legal challenges, and interference from its Democrat Governor Roy Cooper. Specifically, the Governor tried to veto their 12-week Abortion Prevention law, before being overridden by the GOP super majority in the State legislature.
However, a new bill sponsored by Rep. Keith Kidwell could improve the quality of the state’s pro-life protections. Here’s what you need to know about HB 533 Human Life Protection Act of 2023 which Students for Life Action (SFLAction) helped introduce and strongly supports.
Students for Life Action petitioned Rep. Kidwell to introduce the bill, which is modeled on similar legislation SFLAction successfully helped pass in Arkansas (SB 6 of 2021) and Oklahoma (SB 612 of 2022). Another similar bill passed the House of Representatives in neighboring South Carolina (H 3774 of 2023), before being filibustered in the State Senate.
What’s at Stake:
North Carolina currently allows abortion through 12 weeks, which, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), is where nine in 10 more than 9 in 10 abortions occur. This allowance is not only anti-life, but anti-science. Biologists agree that life begins at conception. An NIH published study reports: “Biologists from 1,058 academic institutions around the world assessed survey items on when a human’s life begins and, overall, 96% (5337 out of 5577) affirmed the fertilization view. The founding principles of the science communication field suggest that scientists have an ethical and professional obligation to inform Americans, as well as people around the world, about scientific developments so members of the public can be empowered to make life decisions that are consistent with the best information available.”
The new law would ensure that abortion is prevented after conception, except when it is medically necessary to save the life of the mother.
What The Legislation Does:
HB 533 the Human Life Protection Act of 2023 would prohibit any intentional act of abortion, except when necessary to save the life of the mother. Violations of this law would be a Class B1 felony, and could see additional punishments of:
- Civil penalty of at least $100,000 for each violation.
- The revocation license of a physician or health care professional violating the prohibition.
What We Have Said About the Issue:
SFLAction has supported multiple Life at Conception laws across the country, like HB 1519 in Florida, like Arkansas’ SB 6 of 2021 the Unborn Child Protection Act, Oklahoma’s SFLAction-inspired SB 612 and South Carolina’s H 3774, sponsored by Rep. John McCravy, on which HB 533 is based, just to name a few.
In addition, SFLAction has also been actively campaigning for restrictions on Chemical Abortion Pills in many states and at the federal level, including:
- SB 735 Unborn Child Protection Act by Senator Patricia Rucker
- Senate Bill 278 – The West Virginia Chemical Abortion Prohibition Act, by Senator Patricia Rucker
- Oklahoma HB 3013 introduced by State Reps. Denise Crosswhite Hader, Jim Olsen, and John Talley.
- Oklahoma Senate Bill 1969, by Senator Shane Jett
- Oklahoma Senate Bill 1809, by Senator Nathan Dahm
- House Bill 735 introduced in Mississippi by state Representative Dan Eubanks (R-Walls).
- Wyoming Senate Bill SF 108 – The Clean Water for All Life Act, by Senators Bo Biteman and Tim Salazar.
- The Ending Chemical Abortion Act by Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN).
- Senate Bill 217, by Indiana State Senator Mike Young
- SF 109, “Prohibiting Chemical Abortions,” first introduced by Wyoming State Senator Tim Salaza and signed into law in March 2023.
- House Bill 1519, introduced by Florida State Rep. David Borrero.
Stay tuned to this blog for future updates, as we track the progress of this legislation.
To learn more about other legislation moving through Congress that SFLAction supports, CLICK HERE.