NC legislature passes unborn protections

The bill would protect babies from being aborted on the basis of race, sex, or a Down syndrome diagnosis. The North Carolina Senate on Thursday sent the legislation to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk. Republican Sen. Joyce Krawiec said the protections would prevent discrimination and “modern-day eugenics.”

What’s the outlook? Cooper will likely veto the bill, as he has with previous pro-life measures. North Carolina already prohibits sex-selective abortions. The new legislation would require physicians to affirm with a signature that an abortion was not because the baby had any of the protected traits.

Dig deeper: Read Leah Hickman’s report in Vitals about state efforts to protect babies with Down syndrome.