iABORTION PROPOSAL PASSED BY SENATE
A bill that would outlaw most abortions after 12 weeks was passed by the Republican-controlled North Carolina Senate less than two days after it was presented as a conference report. Senate Bill 20 was sent to Governor Roy Cooper after a day of protests and complaints from Democrats. The vote was 29-20 along party lines. The conference report for Senate Bill 20 passed the House on Tuesday night by a party line vote of 7146.
Although Cooper promised to veto the bill, the GOP supermajority in the legislature has the power to override him.
The "Care for Women, Children and Families Act" would outlaw the practice of surgical abortions after the 12th week of pregnancy for any licensed physician. In the event of rape or incest through 20 weeks of pregnancy or in the case of a "life-limiting anomaly" through 24 weeks, exceptions would be allowed. Under the proposed legislation, a doctor could carry out the procedure if they determined that an abortion was required to prevent death, "not including psychological or emotional conditions."
The bill also includes a number of restrictions on where and how women can get abortions as well as the number of steps they must take before making a decision, such as multiple in-person consultations with a doctor and the need to first view their ultrasound. Additionally, there is more state funding for maternal health initiatives, crisis pregnancy centers, and adoption services.
Under Senate Bill 20, women who obtain abortions outside of the permitted window of time are not subject to criminal penalties under the proposed law, but doctors who perform such procedures risk license revocation and a $5,000 fine. A new class D felony and $250,000 fine are also created by the bill for any doctor who neglects to care for the babies who survive an unsuccessful abortion.
Read more by WRAL News – 5/4/23 and WRAL News – 5/3/23
ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL GOVERNANCE LEGISLATION ADVANCES IN SENATE
On Wednesday, two similar bills, Senate Bill 737 and House Bill 750, were passed that would place some limits on state organizations and political subdivisions from utilizing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles when making decisions regarding employment, pension plans, or state contracts.
Senate Bill 737 was approved by the Senate by a vote of 30-20, despite Democratic concerns that it would harm business in a state that has invested heavily in developing its clean energy sector. “Our state is making major plans for the future of our economy to be built on clean tech,” said Senator Graig Meyer (D-Orange). “I think (Senate Bill 737) is not wise if we really want to build our prosperity.”
House Bill 750 passed by a vote of 76-41 with five Democrats voting in favor of the measure. Both bills provide that the State Treasurer may only use economic or social factors if “they present economic risks or opportunities that qualified professionals would treat as material considerations.”
Read more by The Center Square – 5/2/23 and The Center Square – 5/4/23
MEDICAL ETHICS DEFENSE ACT ADVANCING IN THE HOUSE
The Medical Ethics Defense Act, or House Bill 819 as it is known by its sponsors, would permit any healthcare professional, hospital, or other institution, as well as insurer or other payer, to decline to provide care or services to any person if the professional has a "religious, moral, or ethical" objection to doing so. Last Thursday, the GOP-backed legislation passed the House Health Committee and advanced to the House Judiciary 1 Committee. The fate of the bill remains in doubt.
The bill reaffirms a state law from a decade ago that permits any healthcare professional to refuse to perform abortions for ethical or religious reasons. However, the law goes much further than abortion, allowing anyone to refuse any kind of medical treatment. Opponents assert that this may entail denying care to patients on the grounds of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or even their political beliefs or marital status.
The bill's detractors are concerned that it will cause routine denials of care to those who truly need it. Representative Maria Cervania (D-Wake) added, "It's worded so that if I encountered somebody, and I was a health professional, and in my ethics I'm not aligned, I can make that decision."
Former Wake County school board candidate Michele Morrow, a former nurse who opposed COVID-19 vaccine requirements, and Susan Banes, an active OB/GYN physician, both supported the legislation. Both advocated for doing more to safeguard healthcare providers' freedom of conscience by pointing to the impending shortage of medical professionals.
Read more by WRAL News
UPDATE – MEDICAL DEBT DE-WEAPONIZATION ACT
Following up on legislation that we reported on in the April 21 edition of the Old North State Report, Senate Bill 321 passed the Senate with a vote to 48-0 on Monday and is headed for consideration in the House.
The legislation would shield North Carolina citizens from financial ruin due to medical debt. Hospitals wouldn't be able to pursue debts as aggressively as they currently can. It would, among other things, establish a procedure for patients to appeal decisions and make it simpler for those who are eligible for financial aid to find out about and obtain it.
The legislation would increase patient rights while also preventing families from being forced to pay off the debts incurred by their deceased loved ones' nursing homes and hospitals.
The bill is opposed by the hospital lobby. The N.C. Healthcare Association argues that there are already enough regulations governing how hospitals can handle unpaid bills, and that despite this, insurance companies are more to blame because they frequently impose high deductibles or decline to pay for costly procedures.
“This bill is a pro-family, anti-poverty bill," said the bill’s primary sponsor, Senator Joyce Krawiec (R-Forsyth). "It is a consumer-friendly bill."
Read more by WRAL News
