NC House passes 12-week abortion bill, Senate scheduled to vote Thursday | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal. The author of this post is CJ Staff.

    The N.C. House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday that would ban abortion after the first trimester, with some exceptions, and extends the window to 24 weeks for abortion due to "life-limiting" fetal anomalies.

    It also contains $160 million in state funds for programs including childcare, birth control, changes to adoption and foster care processes, and extends family leave for state employees. Called the Care for Women, Children, and Families Act S.B. 20 is a committee substitute for the Safe Surrender Infants Act.

    The bill was heard in a Joint Rules Committee hearing Wednesday morning and passed the chamber 71-46 Wednesday evening along party lines. It is expected to face a vote in the N.C. Senate Thursday.

    Gov. Roy Cooper vowed to veto the bill in a statement posted on Twitter.

    The N.C. General Assembly has a veto-proof majority in both chambers. All House Republicans voted in favor of the bill, and all House Democrats voted against it. The entire joint committee debate, including a reading of the content of the bill and public comment, can be viewed below.

   

    The N.C. Senate has placed the bill on the calendar for Thursday for concurrence. Session begins at 10 a.m.