“A bill restricting abortions that popped up in the state Senate without public notice Tuesday evening and received swift approval would force clinics to meet expensive license requirements and make it more difficult for doctors to perform the procedures,” the Raleigh News and Observer reports.
“Under the bill, which was tacked onto another measure dealing with Islamic law, abortion clinics would have to meet license standards similar to those of ambulatory surgical centers. According to legislative staff, only one clinic in the state currently meets that standard. The state’s four Planned Parenthood clinics don’t meet it. The bill would also require doctors to be present when women take drugs that induce abortions.
“Democrats were outraged that the abortion provisions came up without public notice, in the late afternoon, and close to a holiday weekend.”
Explained state Sen. Buck Wilson (R) to WRAL-TV: “It just took a while for there to be a consensus of support for it within our caucus. Sometimes these things come together at the last minute.”
Here’s a video of the debate after the bill was introduced:
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