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Full Coverage: Roe v. Wade
In a 6 to 3 decision on June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, reversing the court's 50-year-old decision that guaranteed a woman's right to obtain an abortion. The court's action also set off trigger laws that banned or severely restricted abortions in some states and prompted protests across the country.

Politicians, advocates react to abortion restrictions veto override

WFAE | By Kenneth Lee Jr.
Published May 17, 2023 at 11:44 AM EDT
North Carolina Legislative building
JMTURNER
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WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

North Carolina Republicans in the General Assembly overrode Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 20 — which bans most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy — and reactions are pouring in from across the U.S. North Carolina state law previously banned abortion after 20 weeks.

NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju called the new law “dangerous” while Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson believes it will “protect the lives of the unborn.”

We've compiled responses and public statements, which we'll update going forward.

Josh Stein, N.C. attorney general (Democrat)

“This bill is about controlling women and taking away their freedoms. And they are not done yet. They will keep coming until they completely ban abortion in every instance. We can’t let them.“So, despite this defeat, we will keep fighting at every turn. Our freedoms are too important to ever give up.”

State Sen. Natasha Marcus (Democrat)

“I remember when I believed that the Republican party stood for small government and personal freedom. We can debate exactly when that changed but given their willingness to do this to North Carolina’s women and girls, to make SB20 the law here, it’s clear they cannot claim to stand on those principles anymore.”

“This bill will harm women and girls, our health, our status in society, and our ability to plan our families and careers. It undermines our ability to trust that our government cares about what happens to us, trusts us to make our own decisions, or values our lives, our contributions, our humanity. This bill is a slap in the face, a muzzle over our mouths, and a straitjacket on our bodies.”

Liz Barber, senior policy counsel at ACLU NC

“This is a devastating loss for the fundamental rights of North Carolinians,” said ACLU of North Carolina Senior Policy Counsel Liz Barber. “This abortion ban is life-threatening. Forcing someone to carry a pregnancy to term and give birth against their will is a human rights violation of the highest order. Now, we must hold those politicians accountable who prioritized their own interests over the will of the people.” 

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Politics AbortionNorth Carolina Senate
Kenneth Lee Jr.
Kenny is a Maryland native who began his career in media as a sportswriter at Tuskegee University, covering SIAC sports working for the athletic department and as a sports correspondent for the Tuskegee Campus Digest. Following his time at Tuskegee, he was accepted to the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program as a Marketing Intern for The NASCAR Foundation in Daytona Beach, Florida in 2017.
See stories by Kenneth Lee Jr.
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