Last weekend, North Carolina Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed N.C. Senate Bill 20 (SB20), a bill that would have effectively banned abortion in North Carolina beyond 12 weeks.
Republican-led General Assembly moved Tuesday to override Cooper’s veto, effectively banning most abortions after 12 weeks in North Carolina.
“North Carolinians now understand that Republicans are unified in their assault on women’s reproductive freedom,” Cooper said in a press release. “We are energized to fight back on this and other critical issues facing our state. I will continue doing everything I can to protect abortion access in North Carolina because women’s lives depend on it.”
The state House voted 72-48 hours after the state Senate voted 30-20 to do the same.
A three-fifths vote in both chambers, where Republicans hold supermajorities, was needed to override the governor’s previous rejection of the measure.
Starting on July 1, abortions will only be legal for up to 12 weeks.
The legislation will allow rape or incest exceptions through 20 weeks of pregnancy and exceptions for “life-limiting” fetal anomalies during the first 24 weeks.